Harry Potter and His Sixth Year
by twingirl
Summary: Harry enters his sixth year at Hogwarts, he trains to become a stronger wizard to fufill his destiny in defeating Voldemort. The second war begins...will Harry escape the clutches of the Dark Lord again?
1. The Nightmare

Fan Fictions  
  
Chapter 1  
  
Nightmare  
  
A high-pitched evil laugh rang out throughout a circular room with lots of doors. Flashes of red and green light illuminated the whole place, while jinxes and curses of all sorts were being yelled by all sorts of voices. Suddenly, "Crucio" a female voice sounded off as a boy's scream of agony, of pain, protruded the mysterious depths of a dent-like room. It was a room with only chairs and a single arch standing in the middle of the "dent". A handsome man with long black hair was laughing but suddenly was hit by a red shot of light. He stumbled, with a look of surprise on his face, and as if time had just lost its pace, the man fell slowly and gracefully back into the arch. "Sirius! SIRIUS!" another boy cried out, "SHE KILLED HIM! I"LL KILL HER!".  
  
Harry Potter awoke with a start, panting as if he just finished a marathon, while his forehead was seizing him painfully. He sat up and used his hands to massage and soothe the pain on his head. It was then that he realized that he was covered in a blanket of cold sweat and tears were streaming silently down his face. It was a nightmare, he thought, the nightmare that had haunted him for the past three weeks. Harry checked the clock on his bedside table; it was four o'clock in the morning. He yawned then flopped down onto the bed again, feeling miserable because he was sure he wouldn't be able to fall asleep again. Staring at the ceiling, he wondered if Ron or Hermione had these visions of their last encounter with the Death Eaters just last month.  
  
Harry and some of his fellow DA members, including Ron, Hermione, Ginny, Neville and Luna Lovegood, had battled a group of Death Eaters in the Department of Mysteries of the Ministry of Magic. They went there in order to save Sirius Black, but soon realized they were tricked and there was no Sirius in the department. Also because of this, Sirius (the real one) got killed, and his friends all were injured.  
  
Even though it had already been a month since the tragic event, Harry still was bottled up with anger; anger at himself for his stupidity and at Voldemort and all his gruesome Death Eaters.  
  
The Dursleys, who before treated Harry like he was some kind of a vermin, have chosen to totally ignore his existence and all. They do not ask him any questions when he tries to sit down and watch the evening news on television with them; nor do they tell him off for coming home later then Dudley. In fact, he seems to become invisible within the household. However, Dudley sometimes gives him meaningful glares, which Harry hasn't yet figured out if it was hatred or gratitude. This was caused by a "nice little chat" Vernon and Petunia had at the end of last semester, with Moody, Lupin, Mr. Weasley, and Tonks. They warned his uncle and aunt that if they don't treat Harry well, they would come and make sure Harry gets revenge on them. Their attitude towards him suited Harry finely, because after all the tragic events that happened at school, he didn't think he can stand another of Uncle Vernon's questions and criticisms about him without starting a nasty row. Anyways, he thought, I know I won't be stuck here for long. I return here merely to keep my mother's protection on me going on. However, it was quite boring in the household and since he wasn't allowed to use magic there was nothing he could do to amuse himself. The only thing that kept him entertained were the letters from his best friends Ron and Hermione. Again, from the tone of their letters he guessed that the two were together, probably in Grimmauld's Place. Great, he thought. They were staying in the Head Quarters and having all the fun, while he was stuck in this miserable house with these "quiet" muggles.  
  
The sky outside his window was growing lighter; starting from a delicate pink until it faded into a light blue. Well, another day has started, Harry thought grudgingly. He could hear that Aunt Petunia was already up and preparing breakfast. He trudged down the stairs and into the kitchen to find all the Dursleys sitting around the table and eating their morning orange juice and an apple, while watching TV. They didn't even bother to lift their heads up to show they know Harry has come down. Harry, who was not exactly following their family diet, got himself some toast and went back upstairs again to eat his breakfast. Aunt Petunia did not as much as warn him not to leave crumbs on the carpet, merely pursing her lips to show her dissatisfaction.  
  
Harry opened his door, and to his surprise to found five owls perched on top of his wardrobe, waiting impatiently for him. 


	2. Owls, Presents, Dudley

Chapter 2  
  
Owls, Presents and Dudley  
  
Harry examined the owls. Two of the owls he knew were Hedwig; his own snowy white one, and also Pigdwideon from Ron. He inspected the other three owls carefully. One held its head up high, and had an air of importance. Harry guessed that it must come from Hogwarts. One of the other owls had a rather strange appearance. The owl had purple colored wings, white body with golden streaks down the back. What was most protruding was that the owl had shiny green eyes. Harry checked the mail on that owl.  
  
Dear Harry,  
Happy Birthday, Harry! I know it's tomorrow, but I'm just saying this so you know I haven't forgotten your birthday. This is Tonks. How's your summer going? Are the Muggles treating you right? I hope they still remembered that warning Moody, Lupin, Authur and I gave to them. Just give me a reason and your uncle and aunt will regret that they're born! Oh, by the way, my owl looks weird, right? Well tell you what; this owl is also a metamorphmagus. Although she can't change her shape, she can change the color of her feathers; and her current wing color is my current hair color. She changes with me, very adorable. Oh, and Lupin wants to say HI.  
Tonks  
  
So it was from Tonks, Harry thought amusingly. That explains the weird colored feathers the owls has got. There was a package that came with it, and Harry had no trouble guessing it was his early birthday present. He ripped off the wrappings with one swift movement, out dropped a book. Harry picked it up, and read from the cover How to Become an Animagus. With it, was a note from Lupin:  
  
Happy Birthday! Your father, Sirius and the bloody traitor used this book when they learned to become Animagus. I thought you might be interested. However, I am not saying that you HAVE to become and Animagus. Professor Dumbledore has assured me that IF you have the interest, he could let Professor McGonagall to help you out, which means private lessons. Another thing, Moody has also got a birthday present for you, but he decided to hand it personally to you; in case the owl got intercepted.  
Love,  
Remus Lupin  
  
Harry thought for a moment, and made up his mind; I am definitely going to become an Animagus, no matter how hard it is. Harry thought in determination. I wonder what animal I'll become.  
  
He chuckled to himself as his gaze landed on the last owl, if you could call it an "owl". The bird had an owl face, but it was then that he realized the owl had the body of a cat. He wondered if he should open the letter tied onto the "owl's" leg, or should he just throw the letter away, in case it was jinxed. Harry debated in his head and finally decided to open the letter.  
  
Hello Harry,  
This is Luna Lovegood. Thanks to you for that article about You-Know- Who coming back. Dad and I are currently touring in Sweden to find Crumple- Horned Snortbacks. I think we're on their tracks, and we'll find one soon enough. Have you heard from Ronald, and Hermione yet? Well, say "hi" to them, for me.  
Luna Lovegood  
  
Harry laughed at the way Luna called Ron, "Ronald". It would sound ridiculous if Harry called Ron that. He bet if Hermione saw this letter, she would snort so loud that people would think she had a day sleeping disorder. Hermione doesn't believe in Crumple-Horned Snortbacks.  
  
Speaking of Ron and Hermione, Harry just remembered that they also had sent him letters and presents. He quickly tore Ron's open.  
  
Hiya Harry,  
Harry you're never going to believe this! I just received my O.W.L report a few hours ago. You are never going to believe what I got! Hermione reckons that I was only lucky. Hmph, count on her to make snide remarks on my hard earned scores.  
  
Harry barely repressed a snort of laughter. Ron-hard earned scores-yeah right. Though somewhat relieved that Ron at least did well in his O.W.Ls.  
  
Okay, here is a list of my scores, It's amazing:  
Transfiguration-E  
Charms-O  
Potions-O (And Snape was saying we are all a bunch of dunderheads at the start of term!)  
History of Magic-A  
Defense Against the Dark Arts-O (all down to your help mate!)  
Herbology-E  
Divination-P (well, now I can drop it, finally! It was loads of rubbish in the first place!)  
Astronomy-A  
Care of Magical Creatures-O  
  
There. That's a nice piece of report sheet for mom. I mean 8 O.W.Ls! I'm almost as good as Percy (though he's still a git); and I'm still a prefect. God, you should see mom; she's practically drooling over me! Tomorrow's your birthday, Harry! -As if I didn't know, Harry thought grinning-Happy 16! We've a surprise for you, but I won't.more like I can't go into the details. You know, still the same thing, about owl communication might be intercepted; just get your trunk ready. So you just wait, and you'll see. I hope you like the presents. It's not much, though.  
Ron  
  
Harry tore open the package from Ron. He received 10 amazing posters of the Chudley Canons, his favorite Quidditch team. He grinned ear to ear as he stared at the moving pictures zooming happily around. Along with Ron's present, were the usual delicious mince pies and a birthday cake from Mrs. Weasley.  
  
My birthday, Harry thought, if only he was still alive then my birthday would definitely be better. Harry's mood sank a definite 180 feet at the thought. He tried hard to stop the tears that were forming in his eyes, but barely succeeded. Sirius. I'm sorry. It was all my fault. I should have listened to Dumbledore and practiced Occlumency. Then suddenly, his sorrow turned to anger, his insides boiling. Voldemort! How much longer are you going to kill those I love around me! Bellatrix Lestrange! I'm going to make sure that you pay for Sirius's life! I swear that I'll get you one day!  
  
Harry wiped off his tears with his sleeves, and tried to control his emotions, not allowing these absurd thoughts to ruin his day. Hmmm.. I guess I'll start on Hermione's letter. He tore it open.  
  
Dear Harry,  
I just received my O.W.Ls report! Guess what I got, Outstanding for every subject! No surprises there, Harry thought. Ron is being ridiculously immature. Just because he caught me writing a letter to Victor, doesn't mean I'm his girlfriend. He should know better. Anyways, what's he got to do with me writing to Victor? It's not like he's my boyfriend and I'm betraying him. Could it possibly mean he likes me? Well, Happy Birthday, Harry! Even though it's a day early. Well, be ready for a surprise tomorrow! I'd better go help Mrs. Weasley with lunch. Have a nice day, Harry.  
Hermione  
  
Hermione gave him a book, called Step By Step Guide On to Becoming a Good Auror. Even though books weren't his things, it was certainly very useful, like the book he received from Lupin.  
  
Speaking of O.W.Ls report, Harry was sure that the owl carrying his last letter was his O.W.L report along with his usual school list of supplies. His stomach lurched, and he felt lucky he only ate a piece of toast for breakfast. Slowly, he opened his letter.  
  
Dear Mr. Harry Potter,  
We are pleased to inform you that your performance on your Ordinary Wizarding Level test was quite astounding. The scores below of each subject are the average of your practical and written exams. Below is the list of your scores:  
Transfiguration-O  
Charms-O  
Potions-O  
History of Magic-A  
Defense Against the Dark Arts-O+  
Herbology-E  
Divination-P  
Astronomy-A  
Care of Magical Creatures-O Your performance on DADA was exceptionally well, so we decided to give you a bonus on that subject. Congratulations.  
O.W.Ls team P.S-Attached is a form we will like you to fill out for next semester's NEWT level classes.  
  
Harry felt the gloom lift from him. Wow, he thought, 8 O.W.Ls! That's the same as Ron's score. That's a lot of classes he'll be attending. I think I'll drop a few classes, to make way for my private lessons on Animagus. Astronomy and Care of Magical Creatures needs to go, after all, they are not required into becoming an Auror. It looks like he's got hope to being an Auror after graduation, after all. Harry clutched his O.W.L report in his hands, feeling that it was certainly his best birthday yet, even thought it hadn't come yet!  
  
Just then, he heard a knock at his door. Who the ruddy hell is it? Harry thought. I thought the Dursleys are ignoring me.  
  
"Come in." Harry said suspiciously. Thinking probably was Aunt Petunia to tell him to clean the carpet. However, to his surprise-  
  
"Can I come in?" a nervous looking Dudley said, poking half of his puny head into Harry's doorway.  
  
"What do you want?" Harry snarled, accusingly. "And for your information it's ' May I come in?'.  
  
"Yes, yes. May I come in?" Dudley said. Harry was sure Dudley was trying to keep his temper and with that he said with a half concealed voice of satisfaction, " okay then. Make it quick, I don't have all day."  
  
Dudley looked behind his back, as if assuring he wasn't being followed and spied on, quickly moved his fat features into Harry's room.  
  
"I-I-I wanted to say Happy Birthday, H-Harry."  
  
Harry stared at him.  
  
"I-I know it's one day early-but-but I just wanted to make sure Mom and Dad don't find out." And with this, he gave Harry a small wrapped present.  
  
Harry still stared at him, not believing what he heard. Dudley, the boy who spited him just last year was now congratulating him for his birthday and offering him a birthday present. This is not right.  
  
With much effort, Harry finally said, "Why are you doing this?"  
  
"I just wanted to thank you for saving me last summer. At first I did think you had attacked me, but after hearing your account of what happened and thinking it over..I-I realized that you really had saved me."  
  
Harry still didn't answer.  
  
Dudley, with his face the shade of blush and gradually turning darker, said huffly, " well if you don't want it then bye. I could just keep this for myself. It was stupid of me trying to do this! You're nothing but a wierd boy with your stick" and with that, turned his back at Harry and was about to leave.  
  
"Dudley, WAIT!"  
  
Dudley stopped dead in his tracks. ".Thank you Dud, I'm sorry. I'll take the present." Said Harry, in a low voice. Dudley threw him the present and walked out the door, without so much as a backward glance. Harry watched as he exited the door. Harry opened the present; it was an old GameBoy with a single game card. Harry grinned again. He was sure that although unbelievable, he had made a friend with Dudley Dursley. 


	3. Leaving the Dursleys

Fan Fiction  
  
Chapter 3  
  
Leaving the Dursleys  
  
After an intolerable wait, the day of his birthday finally arrived. Although it was just one day from yesterday, he felt as if he had already waited a century. To kill his time, he packed his books and clothes and other magical possessions, as slow as he could. After he was done with that, he took out his Broom Service Kit and began polishing his Firebolt. Just a month ago, his prized broom, also a present from Sirius was locked in Umbridge's office. The toad, Harry muttered under his breath, it'll be nice if Dumbledore hadn't rescued her from the Forbidden Forest. He checked the time on his bedside table; it was 11:00.  
  
Just then, "Crack". Two identical looking red heads appeared in Harry's bedroom. Harry stumbled onto his bed.  
  
"Happy Birthday, Harry!" said George.  
  
"You should close your mouth, young Harry." Said Fred.  
  
"Yes, you look utterly like are younger brother when we apparated into his room while he was grooming his hair, and admiring his good looks in front of the mirror." George snickered.  
  
"If you don't watch out, we'll probably throw in some of our Weasley's Wizard Wheezes products into your opened mouth." Said Fred.  
  
"Well, I-"  
  
"Yes, you are wondering what we are doing here, eh? Well we've come to get you away from this place, where those Muggles" Fred said with distaste, " have apparently not noticed it is your birthday."  
  
" Yes, but-"  
  
"Ah, you are thinking why it is Fred and I to take you away. Well to tell you the truth, we are here only to tell you that we have arrived."  
  
" Moody and Mom still think we're too young to handle this by ourselves." George said with a scowl.  
  
"The other crowd, that is, Moody and Lupin and Tonks are downstairs, chatting with the Muggles." Fred told Harry with a mischievous glint in his eyes.  
  
Harry grinned, staring at them, unable to find words. "Cat got your tongue young Harry?" the twins said in unison.  
  
Finally, with great effort Harry untangled his tongue and asked, " How am I leaving? Broomstick again?"  
  
"The others will tell you how, don't worry. Now why don't you go downstairs, eh? I bet Lupin can't wait to see you. Oh and by the way, here's your present." Geroge said while handing Harry a bag of colorful sweets. " It's our newly updated Skiving Snackbox, enjoy. Use it wisely, you hear young Harry."  
  
"Yeah, and don't worry about your trunk, we'll handle it. After the Ministry of Magic has finally realized that we've been telling them the truth for a whole year, they started offering us a slight freedom to where we are allowed to do magic. So it's okay if we do magic in your uncle's house. We won't be breaking the Statute of Secrecy." Fred said with an evil grin, "now lets get going!"  
  
"Locomotor Trunk!"  
  
Harry started downstairs, with George in front of him balancing his trunk and Fred behind him, looking for Dudley. He spotted him lurking around the corner of the bathroom. Just as he was about to mutter a hex on the pig boy, Harry shouted, "NO!"  
  
Bewildered, Fred and George stared at Harry. Fred asked, "I thought you hated him, Harry. I'm doing this so you can get back at him."  
  
"Forget about it, okay? I'll explain later." Harry muttered in a low voice.  
  
Since Harry had objected it, Fred couldn't do anything but give a mean glare at Dudley. Dudley, although scared out of his wits, had a look of relief in his piggy eyes.  
  
"Harry! So glad to see you! I do hope these Muggles have kept their words? Moody's questioning them at the moment, and they say they have not done you any harm. Is it true?" Lupin gave Harry a quick hug, and asked him quietly.  
  
"Well I guess you can say that. Actually they have ignored me, "forgotten" my existence within the household." Harry grinned, "and how are you Moony?"  
  
Lupin, his eyes moist, said in a calm voice, " I miss being called that. Yes, I'm fine. What could happen to me? I'm a werewolf. Oh, and Happy Birthday Harry!"  
  
Lupin was the last Maurader left, not counting in the friend traitor Peter Petigrew, known as Wormtail. Harry felt an ache in his heart, and his nose felt sore. However, before the tears had started forming in his eyes-  
  
" Wotcher, Harry! Finally! I've asked Dumbledore for permission to visit you earlier, but he ruled against me!" Tonks, with a short-cut purple hair, like the first time he saw her, shouted with glee. She ran forward to give Harry a hug. Harry raised his head toward the source of his name being called, and was just in time to see Tonks running at him and tripping on a single stair step in the doorway connecting the kitchen to the living room.  
  
"Oomph!" Tonks landed flat on her face. "Are you alright?" Harry said, while running over to help her up.  
  
"Yes, yes, I'm alright. I'm used to it already. I've never been graceful; kept tripping over things and falling. It's no big deal!" Tonks replied brightly, her face a bit red.  
  
Harry nodded apprehensively, and stared into the kitchen. There stood Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia, looking horrified and disgusted. Moody was making coffee with his wand and offering each of them a cup, drawn from mid- air.  
  
"Ahha! Now there's our little troublemaker. Doing well, Potter? These Dursleys are giving me fed up stories about not telling you off and scolding you once! Is that true, Potter?" "Mad-Eye" Moody asked with his always gruffy voice.  
  
Harry, although thought some real punishment would do the Dursleys some good, didn't apply to the idea of lying. So he just replied with a good-natured voice, " well, apart from ignoring my existence, they haven't done anything to me. Thank you, Professor Moody."  
  
"Yes, yes. I see, and they have also forgotten your birthday, too. Very nice, I see." Moody straightened up, and said, " So have you packed your stuff? Where's the trunk? Oh, yes I see it." His magical blue eye whizzed around. " Wand in hand? All body parts intact? Good. Alright, we're ready to go."  
  
"Umm.Professor Moody? How am I getting there? Are we flying there again?" Harry asked eagerly. He would like to fly. It had been months before he had flown on his broom.  
  
"Well, since it is your birthday, I will allow you to choose the way of transportation. However, I warn you that, unlike last time, it is day now. We would certainly be spotted, with so many of us flying on a broomstick. I assure you that you will have a chance to ride your broomstick at the Grimmauld's Place."  
  
"Now would you like to travel by either Floo-powder, or Portkey? Moody asked.  
  
"Umm.I choose the portkey, professor." Harry said, disappointed at the thought that it would be too dangerous to fly at broad daylight.  
  
"Oh yes, that reminds me-"Moody growled while smacking his chipped hands on to his wooden forehead, " here's your present."  
  
Moody handed Harry an amulet, shaped like a stag. " It not only protects you, it also acts as a warning device to you, and warns us when you are in danger, it can also deflect minor spells. There was another function of it-what is it? Oh, it'll come up later." He growled and slapped his forehead again.  
  
"Anyways Potter, I hope you stay out of trouble this year, you hear me? If we didn't show up in time, you would've been dead, Potter! Though, I must say, it was amazing at how you and your fellows battled with the Death Eaters, heh heh. Couldn't have done better myself" Moody told Harry with a wink.  
  
"Thank you, Sir." Harry said, as he pulled on the amulet over his neck.  
  
" All set? Okay, everybody here? Right. Lets go. 5-4-3-2-1" Moody announced.  
  
Harry felt the all too familiar sensation as his buttocks were pushed from behind, and he left the Dursleys in a blur of wind and colors. 


	4. Surprise!

Chapter 4 Surprise!  
  
"-Woosh-" Harry landed suddenly felt hard ground beneath his feet. He opened his eyes just in time to see loads of brown hair attacking him.  
  
"Oh Harry! I'm sooo glad to see you!" Hermione shrieked at him while giving him a hug. Harry saw Ron behind Hermione, giving them a disapproving look. Wicked, Ron does feel more about Hermione just then friendship, Harry thought.  
  
"Let him breath, Hermione" Ron said jokingly, now grinning at Harry.  
  
When they broke apart, Harry looked up, and said, " Hey Hermione, nice to see you." He noticed Hermione had grown a lot taller, and her hair was a bit more tamed than before.  
  
" Ron, excellent! Now we can play Quidditch together." Harry exclaimed happily. He carefully observed his friend; he realized Ron had stopped growing in height, but was starting to develop broader shoulders. The freckles on his face had faded a little. "Wow, you look grown, man" Harry said.  
  
"You're not bad, mate!" Ron said back.  
  
Harry could do nothing but grin as he looks at his best friends, feeling a lot happier.  
  
"Hey Harry, Mum prepared a feast for your birthday party tonight! Let's have some lunch first, and then we can play Quidditch in the back yard." Ginny suddenly appeared out of nowhere, said.  
  
"Great, I'll just put my stuff upstairs. Man I'm starving!"  
  
Just then, Mrs. Weasley came out of the kitchen. " Oh Harry you're here! Oh good, let me have a good look at you. Tut, tut, tut," Mrs. Weasley pursed her lips while examining Harry from head to toe, " a few days of decent meals should square you up. What do the Dursleys feed you, dear?" She kept the fussing over him for a few minutes.  
  
During which, Harry had not had the heart to tell Mrs. Weasley that he had been eating rabbit food three meals a day. Meaning that even though Aunt Petunia made sure Harry didn't starve, in case Harry decided to notify his friends that the Dursleys were starving him. However, he hadn't eaten anything but toast for breakfast and grapefruit and vegetable salads for dinner and lunch. Of course adding in some cabbage casseroles and things of the sort. Dudley was still going on diet this year as the nurse at Dudley's school still wasn't satisfied with his weight after the hard dieting last year, which doesn't seem to have effect. The only significant change in Dudley was that he had taken up to boxing, which at least promised him to look more solid and toned than usual.  
  
Fred and George rolled their eyes at their mother's fussing; seeing there is none of their business at the house anymore, said, "Well Harry, seeing that you are settled, we have to go back to our shop. Lee Jordan is taking over at the moment. Visit our shop sometime Harry, its incredible. You should see how much money we're making! Its enough to buy a dozen Firebolts!" With that, they exited the door.  
  
Moody excused himself, and went back to the ministry; Lupin decided to make lunch with Ms. Weasley, then, do some paper work in the study.  
  
While trudging upstairs, Harry noticed that the house looked a good deal cleaner and colorful since the last time he had been here. He involuntarily let out a great sneeze and immediately covered his ears, waiting for Ms. Black's portrait to start yelling, "Scumbags! Horrible blood traitors, and filthy mudbloods inhabiting the noble house of the pure bred Blacks! How dare you!" However, none came. He opened the curtains, only to be surprised that the supposed to be portrait was not there. Ms. Weasley and Lupin probably thought of a way to get rid of the permanent sticking charm applied to the portrait. He thought  
  
After Harry had settled down in his bedroom, and had a delicious lunch of chicken sandwiches made by Ms. Weasley, the trio (Harry, Ron and Ginny), brooms on their back went outside to play Quidditch. Hermione followed them outside, carrying Fun Facts on Arithmancy.  
  
Harry, after being banned from the team by the toad Umbridge, hadn't touched his broomstick. As he soared through the air, he felt free. All the miserable memories leaked slowly out of him. This is where I belong, Harry thought. No one dares take away my privilege of playing Quidditch!  
  
Harry was so happy to be in the air that he did a number of loops and twirls and almost vertical dives.  
  
"Yo, Harry! Stop twirling there and lets start a game of Quidditch. We'll just take turns throwing the quaffle, while one of us plays keeper. We'll switch positions every now and then. You be keeper first, Harry. Ready? Now GO!"  
  
After an enjoyable game of three hours, the trio all sweaty and covered with dirt, plus Hermione retired back into the house. They took turns washing up, and dressed up for the party.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Harry yawned and sat up. He noticed the room was a fair amount darker then before. It must be six o'clock already, he thought. Harry didn't realize that he had dosed off while waiting to use the bathroom. He quickly jumped up, took a quick shower, don some his best pair of jeans (which were still three sizes too large), a clean T-shirt and raced out the room.  
  
He bumped right into Ron. " Oh finally, you're awake, and about time too! I thought you had turned into 'Sleeping Beauty'", Ron said, smirking.  
  
"Shut up, Ron." Harry laughed, pushing Ron on the shoulder.  
  
"Alright. You should hurry now, almost everyone has arrived, and the birthday boy is missing."  
  
"Right."  
  
"SURPRISE!" suddenly the room flashed with all colors, while everyone yelled. Harry jumped; jaw opened gawking at the crowd that stood before him. He was surprised that so many people remember and care about his birthday. There stood Mrs. Weasley, Mr. Weasley, Hermione, Lupin, Moody, Tonks, Dumbledore, Fred and George, Bill and Charley, also a bunch of other members of the Order, and last but not least, Snape, who was wearing a sour expression on his face. What he was most surprised at were the other two fellow students that accompanied him the Ministry of Magic had also come celebrate his birthday. Neville Longbottom and Luna Lovegood.  
  
Neville was beaming at Harry. He said, " Hello, Harry. Why don't you come down and let's start the feast!"  
  
Harry grinned, noticing that Neville didn't sound as shy as he was before. There was a certain note of confidence in his voice that couldn't be found last year. Probably the attack at the ministry made him realize he was more than he seems, Harry thought.  
  
"Ahh, yes Harry. Now if you don't mind to come down here quickly and be seated. Some of us are already starving and ready to swallow a hippogriff." Professor Dumbledore said with a twinkle in his blue eyes, and nodding his head towards his right.  
  
Harry turned his head to see Ron had already sneaked to the table from behind him when he wasn't looking; now was gazing at the food intently as if it were about to disappear if he stopped looking at it.  
  
"Oh, right." Harry said, still lost at words. He took a seat beside Ron, and everyone shuffled into their chairs around him.  
  
"Now let the feast, begin." Dumbledore said in an imitation as if in the Great Hall at Hogwarts.  
  
Everyone dug into the food; Ron, obviously with the most enthusiasm, stuffing his mouth with mashed potatoes, and chicken and all the food Ms. Weasley prepared.  
  
Hermione flinched with distaste, saying, "Ron! When will you learn to eat with etiquette? You look as if you will never live to have another meal! Ugh. my appetite is fading away, all because of you!"  
  
" 'Eelax 'moine. Usdun ookaee." Ron said with a full mouth, still not bothering to slow down his inhaling of food.  
  
Harry on the other hand was also extremely hungry and eating in a rapid speed, but he knew better to stuff his whole mouth full of food. In order to prevent the two from starting another row, Harry swallowed his food with the help of a swig of pumpkin juice, and said, " So what did you guys do for summer?" deliberately trying to change the subject before the situation got nasty.  
  
"Well I was planning to visit Victor in Bulgaria. However, mom said it was too far away and too dangerous. So I just stayed at home reading some books for one week. Then I arrived here and helped with the cleaning and redecoration of the house." Hermione said matter-of-factly, ignoring Ron's glare when she mentioned Krum, the famous Seeker of the Bulgarian Quidditch team.  
  
"How are Fred and George? Is your mom still angry at them for not finishing school?" Harry asked, still desperately trying to calm the tension between his two best friends.  
  
At the mention of Fred and George, Ron grinned broadly. He swallowed his food with a loud " Gulp" ("Ron!" Hermione cried out.) Ignoring her, he turned to Harry and said, " Their shop is absolutely-what do you call it? AWESOME! Yeah that's the word, awesome. Mum was angry at first, mind you but then Fred and George started making TONS of money. You should see mum's face when the twins brought back a bag full of galleons after only one day of work. The money they earned in one day was twice the amount dad earned for a week!" Ron said excitedly.  
  
"Even though mum wasn't happy about the twins selling pranksters material, she was definitely happy to see the twins make so much money and being successful in business." Ginny suddenly said, beside Hermione. " Although I still can't believe they only got three OWLs each."  
  
"How are you Neville? Did your Grandmother scold you? You look excellent to me." Harry asked.  
  
"Oh me, well Grandma did lecture on and on how dangerous it was, and how reckless I was. After she had calmed down, she said how brave I was, and how she was proud of me." Neville said grinning ear-to-ear, beaming. " She said that I was starting to resemble my parents."  
  
"Good for you Neville."  
  
"Mum almost killed us when we went back home, saying that she would definitely strangle us to death if we ever do something like that again. Like she meant it." Ginny said with a shrug.  
  
The chatting went on until the food on the table was totally devoured, and everyone was lying back in their chair looking satisfied, Dumbledore stood up and said, " now that we have filled our stomachs with the excellent food Molly prepared, (Ms. Weasley blushed a little) let us now start on the birthday cake."  
  
After that, they sang the birthday song and ate the cake with gold and red as icings, prepared by Ms. Weasley. Harry was drowsy after that, in spite that he had just slept before the party. He decided to go to bed, but as he walked up the stairs-  
  
" Harry! May I have a word with you?" Dumbledore called out to him from behind.  
  
Harry nodded, and followed the professor into an empty room.  
  
" Sit down, please."  
  
"What do you want with me?" Harry said sounding grumpy because he was tired.  
  
"I see that you are tired. I will make this quick. Sirius's final testament will be announced tomorrow 8 o'clock at the Ministry of Magic. I expect you to be there, as I know there will be things left to you. I know that you feel bad about it, but please be there on time. Good night, Harry." With this, Dumbledore rose and left the room.  
  
Sirius's will, how could he have forgotten. With that another wave of guilt washed over him, he knew that Sirius wouldn't blame on him, but no matter what, he was responsible to part of it. Stop feeling guilty, you'll kill yourself like this. Just go to sleep. Harry thought to himself, as he trudged heavily upstairs to his room. He was so tired that he fell asleep the moment his head hit the pillows, without bothering to undress. 


	5. The Last Testament

Chapter 5 The Last Testament  
  
The next day, Harry woke up with Ron pounding his head with a pillow. "Shut it Ron!" Harry growled.  
  
"Harry, Mum tells me to wake you up. She said that you're going to the Ministry of Magic with Dad, Lupin and her. I wonder why though. You haven't gotten yourself expelled have you?"  
  
"Of course I haven't. I'm going to hear Sirius's last testament. AND STOP WACKING ME WITH THAT THING!" Harry said so loud it almost seem like he was yelling.  
  
"Oh. Sorry."  
  
"Where are YOU going? Seeming that you're all dressed up." Harry sat up, asking grudgingly.  
  
"Hermione, Ginny and I are going to Diagon Alley to get our supplies. We just got our list of books for next year. Don't worry; mum says you can join us after you come back from the Ministry."  
  
"Alright." At that, Harry cheered up a bit, still feeling down at the prospect of having to hear Sirius' will and bring back the horrible memories to him.  
  
"HARRY DEAR! IF YOU DON'T COME DOWN HERE IN 5 MORE MINUTES, YOU ARE GOING TO BE LATE FOR THE MEETING! AND DO MIND TO WEAR SOME DECENT CLOTHING. " Mrs. Weasley yelled from downstairs.  
  
For a split of a second, Harry forgot that the portrait of Ms. Black had been removed, as he involuntarily muffled his head in his pillow. When the shrieking curses were not being yelled out, he then suddenly remembered the fact. Whoever was left with the house, at least the person wouldn't have to deal with that damned portrait. He thought sarcastically.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
After a quick breakfast, Mr. Weasley handed Harry a sickle, telling him that it was a portkey. Before he knew it, he was being transported to the Ministry of Magic, with again the familiar jerk of his bottom.  
  
He landed with a thud, nearly throwing him over. He stood up, smoothing down his clothes and inspecting the environment around him. He noticed that he was in the Atrium, the place where Harry's last battle was fought. The fountain, which usually contained the statues of a wizard, a centaur, and a house-elf in resonance, now contained a statue of Dumbledore. Probably to apologize to Dumbledore for not trusting him and accusing him of being senile and wanting to takeover the position of the Minister of Magic. Harry thought, repressing a snort.  
  
Mr. and Mrs. Weasley and Lupin appeared beside him with three faint "pops". "This way Harry." Mr. Weasley said quietly. They led him to the elevator, down to the fourth floor and arrived inside a small conference room. The furniture and walls of the room were all either black or wine colored. Fits right in the mood, Harry thought sarcastically. In the room, seated already were Narcissa Malfoy, Nymphadora Tonks, some other relatives that apparently have drifted apart but were here to try claiming a piece of the Sirius' estate. However, to Harry's surprise, he found Dumbledore seated as well, smiling down at him, at the end of the table.  
  
"Ahem", a voice rang out after Harry and the Weasleys were seated. Harry looked around to find the source of the voice. From the other end of the long table, a tall, lanky wizard whose hair was bald in the middle, leaving only a ring of gray-black hair around his head, stood now with a letter clutched in his hands.  
  
"Now that everyone has arrived, let us begin."  
  
He opened the letter and took out a piece of parchment. The parchment suddenly started to glow gold, and Sirius's clear voice could be heard throughout the whole room.  
  
" I, Sirius Black write this will and name this as my last testament. If you are reading this before Voldemort has perished, then I apologize to Harry that I have not been able to fulfill my duty as a godfather. I know that I have died, due to my own temper and will, and no one is to be blamed on this. I repeat, NO ONE! If anyone blames my death on himself or herself I'll make sure they won't be happy after they pass away too, and meet me in the place of the Afterlife."  
  
At hearing this, Harry felt his eyes become steadily blurred with tears, but he forced himself not to breakdown in front of everyone, especially not Narcissa.  
  
" However, if this is read after Voldemort has been killed, then lets just say that I'm either old or that I have been neglecting my health, which is to say that it is none of you lots business. I hereby declare that my money in my personal vault shall be distributed into five equal parts. The first part is to my dear godson Harry Potter, and I give my apologies again for not being able to take care of you."  
  
Harry felt that his tears dangerously tipping from his eyes.  
  
"The second part is to my dear cousin Nymphadora Tonks, and I give her my wishes to try to rectify your clumsiness, and become a highly successful Auror."  
  
Harry saw Tonks sobbing quietly, and searched her bag for a handkerchief, which accidentally tipped the chair beside her, while landing with a "crash". However, she was too sad to say sorry. The almost-bald wizard though, merely gave her a glance before continuing with the will.  
  
" The third part of my money is left to Authur and Molly Weasley, who although have not saw things with me eye-to-eye, I am still grateful at the way you regard Harry as your very own son. I therefore wish that you will take care of Harry for me, if Harry is still under the age of 20."  
  
At this, Mrs. Weasley broke-down, sobbing into her hands while Mr. Weasley patted her gently on the back, himself looking glum too.  
  
" The fourth part is left to my friend, and the only living true Maurader (hopefully you are still alive when this will is read) left, Remus Lupin. I hope you are well my friend? Take care of Harry, and make sure he becomes a very powerful wizard when he grows up. Take care of yourself my friend for the world has its prejudices."  
  
Harry saw Lupin gripping the edge of the table fiercely; his knuckles extremely white, and are still steadying becoming even whiter.  
  
" And the last part of my money goes to Albus Dumbledore . Please feel free to use it when needed, and hopefully this will be something useful I can do for it."  
  
Dumbledore sat straight, however, his eyes had lost its twinkle, and he appeared a lot older to Harry.  
  
"All the family jewelry and silverware in my personal vault is to be equally distributed among Harry Potter, Molly Weasley, Remus Lupin and Nymphdora Tonks. Last of all, the Pensieve in my vault, stored with some of my favored memories goes to Harry Potter."  
  
"I am sorry to say to the rest of the people sitting here will not claim a single knut of my property. I have broken my bond with the Black family and all those that support them. I'll just give you my best wishes, and hope none of you will do anything to make me turn over in my grave.  
  
Harry could see Narcissa Malfoy and the rest of the relatives in the room starting to scowl and shooting death glares to whoever had the courage to look at them. Harry could tell that none of the other relative lots were anywhere near decent. Harry wondered about who will own Grimmaulds Place, but then thought that Sirius probably didn't legally own the place, and even if he did he didn't want to speak about it, just in case Narcissa might think it was the headquarters of the Order and report it to Lucius Malfoy.  
  
"And that is the end of my last testament. Thank you for joining this hearing, while some of you will be leaving empty-handed and disappointed, but never less, good day to you all."  
  
The bald wizard then said, " All the money and processions of Mr. Black will be automatically distributed into the personal vaults of the names listed."  
  
With those words as the end of the hearing, Harry exited the conference room with his gaze located on the floor. He didn't even care when Narcissa bumped into him, causing him to stumble. He was feeling too much grief now to apprehend anything. He didn't even so much as respond when Lupin laid his hands on Harry's shoulder, saying, "Harry?" gently, and then sigh when Harry didn't respond. Harry felt his brain go numb, while his eyes were still blurry with the tears that were still dangerously about to spill over.  
  
"I will go back to Hogwarts, to ahh-attend to some business that haven't settled down yet. Farewell." And with that Dumbledore apparated back to Hogwarts. (I know you can't apparate INTO Hogwarts, but what I apparently meant was that Dumbledore apparated to the Hogwarts gate).  
  
"Lets go then." Mr. Weasley said, " this time by floo."  
  
Harry nodded slowly, not comprehending what Mr. Weasley had said.  
  
"Okay, I'll go first." Mr. Weasley said, grabbing a handful of floo powder, "Diagon Alley!" with a flash of emerald flames, he was gone.  
  
Mrs. Weasley went next, and she too disappeared into the flames.  
  
"After you, Harry." Lupin said to Harry.  
  
Harry still looking dazed took a handful of floo powder, however he choked on the hot ashes of the flames and muttered: "Diagon Alley" in a forlorn voice, felt himself whizzing and spinning through thousands of wizard fires.  
  
Lupin, who was the last to go, blinked and thought to himself, "what did he just say?" 


	6. The Encounter and The Attack

Chapter Six  
  
The Encounter and The Attack  
  
Harry felt himself whishing out of the fireplace, but no hands came to support him from falling. He stumbled on to the hard floor and looked up. He was in a dark room, with various sized boxes, he assumed himself in some store's storeroom, but why would there be a fireplace in a storeroom? He mused. Suddenly, Harry felt a tingling on his chest and looked down to find the amulet Moody gave him was glowing faintly. Harry remembered Moody saying that the amulet warned him of any dangers ahead. Could this be a warning?  
  
Wand tightly in hand, Harry strode towards the faint outline of what must be a door. But before he could get there, he heard footsteps and a hoarse female voice coming from towards the door. Acting out of instinct, Harry quickly ducked behind a wooden crate, just in time when the door banged open.  
  
"It has happened", the female voice said. Harry felt the voice to be really familiar, but he just couldn't remember who it is.  
  
"It has happened", the voice said with a tone of glee. Harry peeked behind from his hiding place and gasped in astonishment. Standing in the middle of the storage room, was Bellatrix Lestrange. Instantly, his blood boiled, remembering that it was she that killed his godfather. "The Dark Lord's first attack since his return. It has been a success, and I will be rewarded greatly." Bellatrix seemed to be in a really mad state, talking to herself. "The Dark Lord has another great plan, and if it succeeds, I will be recognized as his most faithful, loyal-" before she could finish, she was blasted against the wall, with an outraged Harry standing in front of her, pointing his wand at her heart.  
  
"Eeeeww, so it's the wee Potter boy" she said in a mocked tone, but looking surprised at the same time. "Give me a reason, and I can kill you right now." snarled Harry. His eyes emblazed with a fire of hatred, his wand hand shook a little while pointing it towards Bellatrix. The Death Eater looked at his shaking hands with a knowing smile, and said: "Surely, you wouldn't dare to."  
  
"I CAN AND I WILL!" shouted Harry, all of his hatred towards this woman pouring out in these words.  
  
"Tsk, tsk, tsk. Potter needs to control his emotions better." Said the mocking voice.  
  
She stood right up, not caring if Harry's wand was still pointing at her chest.  
  
"I could kill you now, you know" she said in a quiet dangerous voice. A voice in the back of Harry's head said: "You could all point your wands at me and mutter the Death curse at the same time, but I'll just get as much a nose bleed." He remembered the fake Moody's lesson and knew that he did not stand a chance with Bellatrix.  
  
"But unfortunately, the Dark Lord has greater plans for you." Bellatrix smirked even wider when she saw Harry's wand shake even harder. "So I'll give you a chance to disappear under my nose, Potter."  
  
Harry couldn't believe Bellatrix was talking to him this way. But before he could react, he heard more footsteps coming down the stairs. "They wouldn't mind killing you." Bellatrix smirked, nodding to the door. "They still don't know the plan yet." Harry then realized he was going to be surrounded by Death Eaters in just a few seconds. He looked around in panic hoping to find another exit, but found none. Then he felt the tingling from the amulet again, and grasped it firmly in his hands. He didn't know why he did it. But a voice was in his head, telling him to touch the amulet. And he did. He felt a tug in his navel again right before the door banged open and many Death Eaters stalked in.  
  
~-~-~-~-~-~-~~- ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~- ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-  
  
Harry realized the amulet had just turned into a portkey, and is carrying him towards a new destination.  
  
He landed with a heavy jolt and immediately was pulled up by a pair of arms.  
  
"Harry!" exclaimed Mrs. Weasley. Harry looked around, and found himself standing back in the kitchen of Grimmauld's Place.  
  
"Where have you been Harry? We were so worried about you when Remus said you didn't appear out of the fireplace in the Leaky Cauldron." Harry opened his mouth to relate what happened, Mrs. Weasley cut him back.  
  
"Don't tell me now dear. Sit down and have some pumpkin juice, while I contact Lupin and the others. They must be worried sick by now." Mrs. Weasley said as she bustled around the kitchen pouring him some pumpkin juice and setting it down in front of him.  
  
Then, Harry saw Mrs. Weasley draw out a mirror from her cloak, like the one Sirius gave him. She held the mirror and tapped it twice.  
  
"Communication mode: Whisper. Recipient: Remus Lupin. Message: Come back to Headquarters, Harry is here. Sender: Molly." Said Mrs. Weasley. Harry looked at the mirror in Mrs. Weasley's hands, and thought, so this is how the Order keep in touch.  
  
"Every member in the Order has one. You can use it to show images too, but it will be suspicious talking into a mirror in Diagon Alley, so I just made the mirror whisper the message to Remus." Explained Mrs. Weasley when she saw Harry watching her. Just as she finished, the fireplace glowed green and Ron, Hermione, Tonks, Moody, and Remus came out of the fireplace looking pale, anxious, and at the same time relieved that Harry was safe and sound.  
  
"Harry!" cried Hermione. She launched herself onto Harry and gave him a bone breaking hug.  
  
"Easy there Hermione. You don't want to break his ribs" said Ron, looking pale, but grinning at the same time  
  
"What happened Harry?" asked Remus. "Where did you go?"  
  
"Yeah, what happened mate? Remus absolutely looked like he was going to go mad when you didn't come out of the fireplace." said Ron.  
  
Harry took a deep breath and started relating what happened during his encounter with the infamous Bellatrix Lestrange. Suddenly he remembered something about an attack. He quickly jumped up and said, "An attack! Bellatrix said something about an attack!"  
  
"I'm sorry Harry, there was indeed an attack on a muggle village. 200 were killed, and 150 injured, we had to oblivate them. I just received the message when you disappeared." Said Moody shaking his head.  
  
"Though what's weird is, why Voldemort would announce his rise to power again by attacking a small village. Surely, one would have thought that he make a big attack in the magical world instead." pondered Remus.  
  
"Excuse me but we're getting off track of what we were supposed to be talking about. Go on my boy." Moody nodded towards Harry.  
  
So Harry continued telling them all that happened. Everyone looked surprised that Bellatrix had let Harry go instead of killing him then and there.  
  
"I wonder why." Said Ron darkly.  
  
"Yeah" Hermione whispered.  
  
"Whatever it is, it must not be something good." replied Harry, suddenly feeling really tired, and he felt he wanted to be alone, just to sit in silence for a while, and to think over just what had happened.  
  
"Ron, I'm going to take a nap, call me for lunch ok?" and without waiting for a reply he trudged up the stairs to his bedroom.  
  
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A/N: There, a new chapter. I'm sorry if it's a little short, and that I haven't updated in a long time. You see, nobody has given me any reviews, so I'm feeling kinda discouraged. In fact, I'm thinking whether anyone has read my story at all. (sniff sniff). So if anyone is reading this story, plz, PLZ, PLZ, review. Even if it's only one word. At least I know someone is reading my story and it encourages me to write on.  
  
Oh, and I'm really sorry if you find this chapter dark, sad, or just boring. But I have my purpose of making Harry meet Bellatrix, hinting of the Dark Lord's plans, and the mirror. Hopefullly, the next chapter won't be like this. 


	7. Holiday At Grimmaulds Place

Chapter Seven  
  
Holiday At Grimmauld's Place  
  
Harry sat in the bedroom he still shared with Ron, and just sat there thinking over his encounter with Bellatrix. All those muggles, He thought. If I had known earlier, they wouldn't have had to die. I didn't get any vision for the whole summer. And what does she mean by Voldemort having greater plans for me? Surely he wouldn't want me for my blood again will he? Bellatrix, why didn't I just kill her that time? I swore that I would kill her when I met her. But what she said was true, I might just give her a nosebleed even if I did try killing her. I couldn't even curse her properly with the Cruciatus Charm, why would I succeed in killing her? Harry sat in an armchair with his knees tucked up under his chin, as many thoughts came and went like a blizzard.  
  
There was a knock from the door, which made Harry look up. "Come in." He said, in a quiet voice. The door opened, it was Hermione and Ron, each carrying a plate of food enough for three. "We thought we would just eat in here with you." She said curtly. Ron plopped down on the other armchair and started attacking his food with as much enthusiasm he could muster. Hermione dropped onto the bed and ate her food at a just right pace. Bite, chew, chew, chew, swallow, and start again.  
  
Harry only nibbled his chops, with a long sigh. Hermione raised her eyebrows and said: "Oh for goodness sakes, Harry. First, it wasn't your fault that those muggles were attacked. Second, it's no use wondering what Voldemort's plans are. And third, you couldn't have killed her even if you wanted to."  
  
Apparently, the she meant Bellatrix. "So get a grip on yourself Harry. Cheer up, don't let this ruin your summer holiday."  
  
Her words cheered Harry up slightly and made him realize that he was being a git again. He glanced up at her and grinned, "Wicked Hermione! You read my mind!"  
  
She just grinned in a knowingly way and huffed, "Of course I know Harry, how can I not know when I have known you for six years!"  
  
"Umph, she's right mate. *munch munch*Just by looking at your face *munch, we know what you are thinking." Added Ron.  
  
"Ron!" exclaimed Hermione, giving him a death glare. "Don't talk when you still have food in your mouth!"  
  
Ron seemed to shrink before her eyes. He looked down and muttered, "girls", and resumed eating.  
  
"Well," said Harry brightly. Trying to break the tension that had sprung up between Ron and Hermione. "We still have a month to go before school starts. What do you reckon we do?"  
  
"I'd say that we start reading some of our new textbooks. We're going to have our NEWTs next year! I've started studying already, so if you guys want to graduate with flying colors, then I suggest you start now!" Hermione said, with her usual tone of impatience when it comes to pushing the boys to study.  
  
"Hermione, give us a break would you? Harry finally escapes from the Dursleys and now you're starting to make this place a Study Hell (*Hall*). Come on Harry, let's play a game of wizard chess. See if your strategy skills have improved over the summer."  
  
" Improvement! As if Dudley would so much sit down and play chess with me." Harry snorted. That's when he remembered the Gameboy Dudley gave him the day before he left the Dursleys. Ron would surely be thrilled to play a game with a muggle device.  
  
"Wait here, Ron. I've got just the thing to play with!" Harry hurried over to his trunk and pulled out the Gameboy, still half wrapped in the wrinkled wrapping paper.  
  
He retrieved back to the bed, and tossed the gaming device to Ron.  
  
"Harry, what is that thing?" asked Ron.  
  
"It's-  
  
"It's a muggle gaming device, called a Gameboy," Explained Hermione before Harry could open his mouth, "but to me, it's totally a waste of time playing that thing. I would rather go and find a good book."  
  
"What does it do?" Ron asked as he examined every square inch of it. He jumped and almost dropped the Gameboy when he pushed a button and images started to appear out of the screen. It was an old Mario game, with a stupid song while you played.  
  
"Bloody hell Harry, this is fascinating!" Ron yelled with excitement. He started tinkering with the other buttons and found out what they all do. In less then 10 minutes, Ron was sprawled on the bed, his long legs sticking out from the bed, playing Mario with utmost concentration, and had actually gotten past level one already.  
  
Harry watched with amusement at Ron, thinking it was really funny that Ron could get so interested in a Gameboy. But quickly, his mind shifted towards what he was planning to do with the last month before school. He thought maybe he would play Quidditch with Ron and the twins, since he hadn't had a chance to anyways all because of that Toad. But then he couldn't play Quidditch all the time, he needed other things to keep him busy. Suddenly, without knowing why, he was suddenly blazed with a fire in his heart. I will become a powerful Auror, and I will kill you Voldemort, let's see who shall die so the other can live! Harry clenched his fist with determination, and found himself even sweating a little.  
  
"What's wrong Harry?" Hermione asked when she saw him.  
  
"Hermione," he said, "Hermione I need you to help me study."  
  
Harry thought Hermione would look surprised and ask him why he wanted to do that. But instead, she grinned, and said, "You're finally taking a leaf out of my book, Harry."  
  
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So here came the busiest holiday Harry would ever had. The next day, he got up early in the morning to play Quidditch with Ron, George, Fred, and Ginny.  
  
Since they didn't have any snitches, Harry played Chaser. So in the game, Ron played Keeper, Fred and George played Beater by levitating watermelons and hitting them towards the Chasers. Ginny and Bill also played Chasers. The point of the game was to try and throw in as much goals as possible. While Fred, George, and Ron tried to prevent them from entering any goals.  
  
Harry kicked up on his Firebolt and sped up towards the sky feeling free and relaxed. The cool autumn wind whipped against his face, the fresh smell of autumn leaves made him forget everything but flying. He turned around to find all the others in the air too, and flew towards them.  
  
"Everyone ready?" asked Fred grinning towards Harry.  
  
"I was born ready." Grinned Harry.  
  
And so the whole morning was spent playing Quidditch. Harry and the others trotted back during lunchtime looking dirty, disheveled, but happy in other words. Ron was a sight, he still had watermelon seeds stuck in his hair.  
  
"Ron! What happened to you?" cried Mrs. Weasley, "Scourgify!" she muttered, doing a cleaning charm. Instantly, the watermelon seeds vanished.  
  
"I see you like what we did to ickle Ronnikins." Smirked Fred.  
  
"We feel very honored to tell you the story." Added George.  
  
"Oh no you-  
  
Before Ron could finish his sentence, George had already casted a Silencing Charm on him. Then the twins launched into the tale of how Ron got those watermelon seeds.  
  
It turned out that Fred and George were hitting the watermelon towards Harry, because he was just going to score. Harry, with his natural born quick reflexes ducked out of the way just in time, while the watermelon zoomed into Ron's face. It splattered and left Ron with his hair full of watermelon seeds after the watermelon juice dried from his hair. Mrs. Weasley sighed and said, "be careful next time Ron."  
  
They had a delicious lunch of spaghetti and meatballs, with some cream custard for dessert. Fred and George said that they had to get back to their joke shop and dissapparated. Ginny went back to her room, saying that she still had a bit of homework left to do. Harry, Ron and Hermione trampled upstairs to Harry and Ron's room to study, ("I'll just do a little study and go play that Gameboy" said Ron). Harry opened Advanced Transfiguration For 6th Years Hermione bought in Diagon Alley yesterday, and started reading.  
  
Introduction of 6th Year Advanced Transfiguration. In 6th Year Transfiguration, students will be mainly attempting Conjuring Spells, Advanced Vanishing spells, Animagus, and Advanced Switching Spells. In order to learn Conjuring Spells, students must first finish Advanced Vanishing Spells. Animagus will not be attempted until the end of the year and even so, it is not required to accomplish them. However, points will be added to your Transfiguration NEWTs if Animagus transfiguration is successful.  
  
Advanced Switching Spells The difference between Switching Spells and Advanced Switching Spells is that Advanced Switching Spells require even more concentration, and are for switching complex objects, like things that do not seem physically there, or switch a function of an object onto another object. The theory of this spell is to first learn the structures of the object you are attempting to switch and it's function if needed.  
  
Harry slowly slipped into a dream, he felt himself zooming over hills and rivers, and then into a dark building. He could smell death in the atmosphere, and didn't need to think twice before he knew where he was. A group of Death Eaters were huddled in a circled, and in the center of the circle stood the darkest wizard that history ever had. Voldemort was pacing around, seemingly to be waiting for something. Suddenly the circle of Death Eaters broke apart, when another Death Eater came through holding a limp form. "Awaken her." Voldemort demanded. "Ennervate" drawled the voice which seemed to be Lucius Malfoy. The form slowly stood up. Harry gasped, no it can't be, he thought, how could that have happened? The figure turned out to be Nymphadora Tonks. "Crucio" said Voldemort with a bored voice. Sounding as if he did this spell so often it bored him. Which was true, since he really did do this spell at least 10 times a day. Harry's scar immediately started hurting like mad, as if it was going to split his head in half.  
  
"AAHHH-  
  
"Harry, HARRY!" a voice cried. Harry opened his eyes and found Ron and Hermione looking at him anxiously.  
  
"Voldemort.Tonks." He managed to say. They immediately paled, getting exactly the message.  
  
"It.it can't be..Tonks is an Auror.how can she get caught so easily?" asked Hermione, looking to Ron for comfort.  
  
"I was there, I saw her, Voldemort was torturing her." Said Harry, after regaining his strength. His scar still tingled but it was much better.  
  
Hermione looked alarmed. "Unless..yes, this could be it." She muttered to herself.  
  
"Unless what, Hermione?" asked Ron.  
  
"Unless Voldemort is trying to lure Harry into being the hero again. Unless Tonks was never captured." She said quickly.  
  
"I guess it's time to use that mirror of you mom's, Ron. We should contact Tonks first, and then tell Dumbldore." Said Harry.  
  
"Mirror? What Mirror?" asked Ron.  
  
"Remember yesterday I met Bellatrix?" They nodded, frowning at the name of Bellatrix, "Well after I came back, Mrs. Weasley used this mirror she kept with her and contacted Remus. I guess that's one way the Order keep in touch with each other." Explained Harry.  
  
"So that's how the Order keep in touch! I've always wondered how they get messages to each other when they can't in any other ways." Cried Hermione.  
  
"What are we waiting for then? Let's go!" said Ron as he bolted towards the door.  
  
They found Mrs. Weasley in the kitchen. Harry explained his dream to her and Hermione explained their theories of the dream being fake and Voldemort trying to lure Harry to act the hero once again. Mrs. Weasley looked shocked, but quickly pulled out her mirror and tapped it with her wand. "Communication mode: normal, Recipient: Nymphadora Tonks, Sender: Molly Weasley." The kitchen was quiet. Even a pin dropping onto the floor would have seemed loud. Everybody was holding their breaths, wishing that Harry's dream wasn't real.  
  
After a few seconds, Tonks cheery face appeared on the mirror. "Wotcher Molly!" she said. Everybody slowly sighed. Tonks looked around seeing their relieved faces and joked, "You seem as if you thought I was captured by Voldemort or something."  
  
"Oh, but that was just what we were thinking Tonks." Replied Molly. She explained the story to Tonks, who looked paler by the second.  
  
"By golly!" was all she could say after the explanation. "You should tell Dumbledore, Molly."  
  
"That is just what we are going to do. Maybe you should come here too because Dumbledore might call an emergency meeting. And tell Arthur for me will you?" said Mrs. Weasley.  
  
"Sure. Be right there."  
  
After that, Mrs. Weasley alerted Dumbledore. Dumbledore looked grave after he heard the story, he told Molly to alert all the people from the Order for an emergency meeting.  
  
Lupin, Moody, Mundungus, and all the other people in the Order arrived minutes later, all looking bedazzled at to why they were being called on for an emergency meeting. Dumbledore arrived not moments later. He walked over to Harry and said, "Harry, I wish you to participate in this meeting," he nodded towards Hermione and Ron, "you two should join too."  
  
Everybody went down to the kitchen and settled down. Mrs. Weasley bustled around getting out butterbeer and pumpkin juice out. Dumbledore marched up to the front of the room and said,  
  
"This meeting will come to order." 


	8. The Meeting

Chapter Eight The Meeting Of the Order  
  
"This meeting will come to order."  
  
Everyone turned their attention towards Dumbledore. "I have been suspecting that Voldemort is setting up new plans. And my worst fear was confirmed by the vision Harry just had, half an hour ago. Although I am not sure what they exactly are, I do however, know that they involve capturing Harry Potter." Everybody turned their head towards Harry, who looked down, not liking to be receiving so much attention. Ron was opening and closing his mouth like a fish, not knowing what to say. While Hermione gasped out and put her hands to her mouth, with tears brimming into her eyes.  
  
Harry, suddenly, for no clear reason, felt extremely impatient, annoyed and angry. "Oh well that's something new. As far as I'm concerned, Voldemort has been trying to capture me since I was.what.one?"  
  
Everyone at the table looked at Harry in awe and in shock, with the exception of Dumbledore. He still looked at Harry with his usual calm demeanor. "Yes, Harry, that is quite apparent. However, allow me to finish what I was about to say." Then he turned his radiant blue gaze from Harry to everyone in the room, his stare landing on a single person then shifting to another. "We have enough information to know that, like last year, Voldemort is somehow trying to obtain a certain device that will ensure his capture of Harry Potter. However, it is not a weapon, but as to what it is, we are not sure yet."  
  
"Harry, this year you will have to-" Albus was interrupted before he could finish his sentence.  
  
"Before you suggest Professor, I will not agree to go into hiding or have about ten bodyguards following me around all day; either here or at Hogwarts; neither will I agree to stop playing Quidditch and having Hogsmeade visits. I know you are all concerned about my safety, but I will not allow some crack and bull of a crazy killer to rob me of all the things I enjoy in life!" Harry said with fury, standing in front of his seat, while staring intently at the white beard old man in front of him.  
  
" Yes, yes Harry, quite understandable. However, please obtain no fear that I will abolish you of your favorite things, because that was not what I wanted to say." Dumbledore smiled kindly at Harry.  
  
"Oh. Err.sorry professor." Harry muttered, realizing that he had just lost his temper again. He slumped back into his seat, red in the face, though never a magnificent shade as Ron's when he is embarrassed.  
  
"Quite alright. Now as I was saying, Harry, this year, you will have to learn some of the advanced forms of magic that even seventh years and most adults find difficult in doing. You shall be attending special training classes taught by Minerva, Filius, Severus and I, while you shall still have to attend all of your normal classes. The special training classes start tomorrow."  
  
"How-" Hermione cut in.  
  
"Ah.Miss Granger. You are wondering about the Restriction of Underage Magic are you?" Dumbledore asked.  
  
"Yes, Professor."  
  
Dumbledore chuckled. "Ah, Miss Granger, always the sharp one. Well as you have all seen, Minister Fudge has a lot of pressure on how he is going to deal with this Voldemort situation.(Almost everyone shuddered at the name) And he does receive quite a few howlers a day, mind you. So now he has start to err.listen to my advice again, although it is only out of desperate means. I recommended to him that he should let Harry Potter bend a few rules and let him train during the holidays."  
  
" I could tell that the last thing he wanted was to let Harry Potter bend a few rules, he in the end obliged." Dumbledore clapped his hands together, stating jovially, as if this Christmas has come early.  
  
Then as suddenly as a snitch can fly, his expression suddenly turned solemn. " Harry, I expect you to work exceptionally hard this year. You may find that you will not have as much as free time than you had before, but I do think that it is worth the time. Not only will you learn this, you will have to teach it to your fellow students. The Defense Association was a splendid idea, and I want you to continue. Now that it is an authorized club, I suspect there will be many more students that will join?" Dumbledore said, his eyes twinkling madly behind his half-moon spectacles.  
  
"Now I have some pressing things to deal with. This meeting has come to an end." Albus stood up, smoothing his dark blue robes, " I hope you all have a good holiday. Enjoy while it lasts. Oh and Harry, Minerva will inform you of your training classes. Good bye, then." With that, he swept through the entrance door, and disappeared with a swish of his cloak.  
  
"Mr. Potter, your lessons start at 10 o'clock on every Monday, Wednesday and Friday. The order of your teachers will be me, Professor Flitwick, Professor Snape, then Professor Dumbledore. Any questions?"  
  
"Oh.uh.no." was all Harry could reply.  
  
"Well I expect you to be up and ready by 10 o'clock tomorrow. I'll see you then. Good bye." And with that, she left too, dissapparating with faint "pop".  
  
By now, most of the people in the meeting were standing up to leave. Lupin walked over to Harry and said: "Harry, you're still going to learn Occlumency with Snape, please try and not lose your temper with him, ok?" Harry nodded reluctantly, "I'll try".  
  
"James and Sirius were the best duelers in school," he said offhandedly, while beaming at Harry, "Make them proud Harry." Harry nodded his head, and suddenly felt the fire of determination he had a few hours ago blaze within him again.  
  
"Let Sirius's death be worth it." Lupin patted Harry's shoulders and departed.  
  
"Well, you three might just as well go to bed now. You've got a hard day ahead of you." Molly hustled them to the front of the staircase and gave each of them a hug. "Sleep well." The trio trampled up the stairs. Hermione stopped in front of Ginny's room, while Harry and Ron went down the hall to their own room. Both Harry and Ron's minds were too full to speak. Neither said a word while changing into their pajamas and instantly fell asleep when their head hit their pillows. ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~- ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ AN: Finally, this chapter is finished! I'm really sorry if it's so short and all. But I really thought of giving up this story until GryffindorOfTheSouth and linky2 gave me reviews! Thanks a lot! Those 2 reviews really meant a lot to me! I'll try to update as fast as possible, just for you two. And I hope you guys can give me more reviews!! Cuz I count on them to continue this story.  
  
Oh, and if you don't like Harry's new attitude in this chapter, please tell me. Cuz I really don't know whether I should make Harry sound so bad tempered or not. If nobody likes it, then I'll try and make him more cheerful but I can't promise to make him too happy. If you get what I mean. LOL 


	9. The Training

Chapter Nine  
  
The Training Harry awoke the next day feeling refreshed and ready to face the training he was to have with Professor McGonagoll, whatever it would be, Harry had no idea. He looked across the room to find Ron sprawled across the bed, his arm hanging limp from the bed, and he was drooling. Harry smirked, thinking that Ron must be dreaming about a feast, probably the Opening Feast in Hogwarts he thought. He got up quietly not wanting to interrupt Ron's feast, donned a pair of jeans and a T-shirt, and stole out the room.  
  
He found Mrs. Weasley already up and about, making fried eggs and bacon. Hermione, wearing a casual blouse and a pair of jeans, also sat at the table. "Morning Harry." She announced brightly. Mrs. Weasley looked up from her cooking and also said, "Good morning, Harry dear. Have a seat." Harry sat down, observing that the clock on the wall read 9:40. "Professor McGonagall will be arriving soon. Why don't you have some bacon and eggs before she arrives?" said Mrs. Weasley as she pushed a plate heaped with eggs and bacon towards Harry. He gaped at it, not believing that he could finish it. "Eat the lot up, you seem a little too skinny for my pleasure." Mrs. Weasley ordered. "What the Dursleys feed you." She shook her head.  
  
Harry and Hermione ate in silence for a few minutes while Mrs. Weasley sat opposite of him reading the morning edition of the Daily Prophet. Then he looked up from his food and asked, "What is Professor McGonagall going to teach me today, Mrs. Weasley?" "Well, I think she might start you on Conjuring spells today, and probably a little on Animagus transformations, dear." She said without looking up from the paper.  
  
"Oh" he replied calmly, although inside he was already burning with excitement.  
  
"Animagus transformation! Oh Harry, I've wanted to learn that since third year! You are so lucky! I can't wait to find out what form you are! Oh, but I read in Animagi Tranformations: the Step by Step Personal Guide that it can be extremely difficult and dangerous. I already know all the basic concepts and principals though. Oh Harry, promise me you'll teach me how to transform after you've succeeded!" Hermione went on, barely trying to hide her excitement.  
  
"Hermione relax. I don't even know if I'll ever become an Animagi or not." Harry chuckled.  
  
"Of course you will Harry. I know you will. But PLEASE will you teach me after you've become one?" Hermione asked desperately.  
  
"Hmm.I'll have to consider that." Harry replied wickedly, a small smile playing on his face.  
  
"Harry!"  
  
"All right, all right. Yes I promise you, Miss Hermione Granger that I, Harry Potter will teach you Animagi transformations once I've mastered the skill." Harry replied in a silky, highly solemn voice, though the corner of his mouth could be seen slightly twitching.  
  
"Professor McGonagall will be arriving any moment now. I'll be leaving for your lesson." Said Mrs. Weasley.  
  
"Well then I'll be going too then." Added Hermione, standing up. "Happy training. And don't you forget your promise, Harry Potter!"  
  
"Okay. But you'll probably have to remind me later on. It's not as if I'll become an animagus in one lesson. Rome wasn't build in a day you know." Harry replied smugly.  
  
"Oh, you." Hermione swapped at him playfully, then left.  
  
~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~- ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ -~-~-~-~-~-~- ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-  
  
"Good morning Mr. Potter." Said Prof. McGonagall as she entered the kitchen.  
  
"Good morning Professor McGonagall."  
  
"Let us begin our lesson, shall we?"  
  
"Today, I will teach you beforehand Conjuring Spells. I hope you listen very carefully to every word I say Potter, for we will be going quicker then when you are in class. I will tell you the basics for the first half of the lesson, and we will start the practical on the other half. I will meet you again this Wednesday, and I shall require you to read through chapters 1-5 in this book about Conjuring spells." She pushed a heavy book that said Advanced Transfiguration For The Advanced under his nose.  
  
"We will not be studying the theories in future classes. Instead we will jump into the practical lesson. Is this understood?" Prof. McGonagall asked in a grim voice.  
  
"Yes Professor McGonagall" replied Harry, feeling the pressure of work on him before he even started.  
  
"Good," McGonagall nodded curtly while her lips forming into a brief smile. "Lets start."  
  
"The main point in performing the Conjuring Spells is to learn the object you want to conjure. For example, if I told you to conjure up a piece of paper, you would first have to know what a piece of paper is. Tell me what a piece of paper is Potter."  
  
Harry thought for a moment, for he never did consider thinking what a piece of paper actually WAS.  
  
"It's rectangular, white, thin.." He replied.  
  
"Yes, Potter, but you're missing 2 very important things about paper."  
  
"erm."  
  
"Just think, there could be many things in this world that fits your description of what paper is. I could just say that what you are describing is a table cloth." Hinted Professor McGonagall.  
  
"Oh! It's made out of wood, and we write on it." Said Harry brightly.  
  
"Correct. Although I expect answers from you more quicker from now on." Professor McGonagall's thin lips turned up a fraction to show the teeniest smile.  
  
"You have to learn the object's function and material before you try to conjure it. Or else a sofa may turn into a chair, if you don't think about the material of the object."  
  
"Now since you have grasped the essential points for Conjuring Spells, why don't we try it?" suggested McGonagall.  
  
"You must picture the object in your head piece by piece. Start with the main size and shape of the object, the function of it, and the color. Then if this object is complicated, you must then picture the object from top to bottom, the material for each of the parts, and then finally you say the incantation: 'Conjurus Transformia'. (AN: I totally made that up. I don't know any Latin, but this is just what came into my head.) I want you to conjure up a piece of paper. This is relatively easy for a piece of paper only requires the main size and shape, function, and color. Start now."  
  
Harry felt this spell could be the most complicated he ever did. He gripped his wand, pointed at the table, and thought about a piece of paper. And then he yelled: "Conjurus Transformia!"  
  
In a flash, a milky white piece of paper magically appeared on the table. Harry felt very proud of himself. He never thought that he could actually do it, not on his first try at least.  
  
"Stupendous Mr. Potter!" cried Professor Mcgonagall. "It seems that you will yet make me proud. You'll become the best student of mine if you keep it up." She beamed at him, which was saying something as Harry never did see her beam at anyone during Hogwarts. "but don't let Miss Granger hear that." She whispered to him as an afterthought, winking briefly.  
  
"Why don't you conjure up for me a cup of tea?" she challenged.  
  
"Yes, Professor. And what kind of tea would you like?" Harry asked, grinning from face to face.  
  
"You seem eager for the challenge I see, Potter. How about some black tea with milk and sugar?"  
  
"Very well Professor."  
  
This time it wasn't so easy. Harry yelled out the incantation and in a flash a cup appeared on the table, an empty cup. Harry was a little disappointed, but he rolled up his sleeve and tried again. This time he was more successful. In a flash of light, a nice cup with some nice black tea, sugar and milk stood on the table.  
  
"Very good, very good, Harry." Harry realized she was using his first name, which was in really rare occasions when someone performed a spell exceptionally well.  
  
So Harry spent the whole morning learning conjuring spells. By lunchtime, the kitchen table was filled with treacle tart, butterbeer, pork chops, roasted duck, beef, and all sorts of cookies. Harry found the conjuring of cookies especially fun. Since cookies didn't have to have a specific shape or size, Harry amused himself by thinking up of cookies all different shapes and sizes. Professor McGonagall made her last request for Harry to conjure up some Ginger Newts, thus ended their first Transfiguration class. ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~- ~-~-~-~-~ "Knock, knock"  
  
"May I come in?" It was Mrs. Weasley. She thought it was time Harry had a break and because it was lunchtime.  
  
"Yes, come in Molly. I bet you would enjoy the scenery in here." Said an amused Professor McGonagall.  
  
Mrs. Weasley walked in and gasped. For she saw the table laden with food and of course, LOADS of cookies.  
  
She looked at Harry and asked: "Did you do all this?"  
  
Harry nodded, feeling indeed, very proud of himself.  
  
"Oh!" cried Mrs. Weasley. She jumped up and down like a child and hugged Harry until he felt his last breath before she let go of him. "If James and Sirius were here, they would really be proud of you Harry." Then she bustled out of the kitchen.  
  
Proud, make them proud. His mother, father and Sirius all died for him. He was going to make them proud. He will not let them down.  
  
"Harry! How was your lesson?" Hermione practically flew into the kitchen when Mrs. Weasley informed her the lesson was over and they were all to sit down and have lunch. Hermione's eyes went as wide as saucers when she saw all the food heaped onto the table. She cried with delight and begged Harry to teach her Conjuring Spells (although she was a tint disappointed when Harry informed her he hasn't learn Animagus transformations, yet.) Still, her enthusiasm made Harry laugh and he promised her that he would teach her the first thing after lunch.  
  
"HARRY!" roared a disheveled Ron.  
  
"Indoors voice, Weasley" McGonagall reprimanded. "Sorry, Professor." Replied Ron weakly.  
  
While Harry was having his lesson with Professor McGonagall, Ron was in the backyard playing Quidditch with Ginny. They played by switching roles every half and hour. While one was keeper, the other tried to score in as much goals. Then while one was beater (they still used watermelons), the other played seeker, trying their best to catch the falling watermelons. Ron got a face full of watermelon again when a watermelon hurled to the ground, splattering his face with juice again.  
  
"How was your lesson mate? It's a pity you couldn't play Quidditch with us. But I guess it's worth it right?" said Ron.  
  
Was it? Indeed it would make his parents and Sirius and everybody proud. But would he be able to kill Voldemort? It almost sounded impossible to him.  
  
"No more talk and lets all sit down to enjoy the marvelous food Harry conjured for us." Said Mrs. Weasley. "Would you pass me one of those interesting cookies you made Harry?"  
  
"Of course Mrs. Weasley. In fact, why don't I just conjure up some more?" with a wicked grin, and before anyone could stop him, some 50 more cookies appeared on the table.  
  
"Harry!" scolded Professor McGonagall, giving him a glare.  
  
"Ok,ok!" Harry surrendered, holding up both hands.  
  
"Luvey Prkchops H'rry." Ron said with his mouth full, already attacking Harry's conjured food like mad.  
  
"Ron!" Hermione glared, then went on again about proper table etiquette and the likes.  
  
Gulp "But I'm hungry!" defended Ron.  
  
"Oh, Ron you're such a PIG!" said Ginny while rolling her eyes.  
  
Harry didn't know why, but he felt really comfortable, sitting in a table filled with his friends as close as a family. This was a time when he felt that he just couldn't heed Lord Voldemort or anything else that made him miserable. Even if there were ten Voldemorts banging on the doors of Grimmaulds Place, Harry felt he couldn't care less. He felt surrounded by love and he knew he loved all of them back. He knew he would do anything to protect them. ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~~-~-~-~-~ ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ ~-~-~-~-~-~-~- ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ AN: Another chapter! I hope you all like it! :D I want to thank GryffindorOfTheSouth, Gabriyalle Kylie Burman, jessie81589, and linky2 for all those lovely reviews, which encouraged me to write this chapter!!  
  
Last chapter I asked whether I should make Harry easy to get angry or not. From the reviews I got, I've decided to make him have occasional mood swings, because all teenagers do. I do. I thought it would seem natural to make it that way cuz he is a teenager after all. Just wanted to tell you all about this because in the future chapters, he might have an occasional extremely emotional day, but remember it's not always, so please don't hate me if I make him sound so bad.  
  
Last of all, I want to give my apologies if anyone thinking I'm updating too slow. I ALWAYS have a busy weekend, and not much time after school. But please stay with me. I'll try my best to get these chapters rock and rollin'! 


	10. A Deatheaters Meeting

** A/N**: HEY GUYZZ! Sorry that I (*ahem*. "_We"_ ,says Twingirl #2 behind me) haven't updated for awhile, disappointing some of you people. We apologize again. School wouldn't be called _school_ if the teachers didn't give us poor students a mountain of homework each day. Ok, now on to the main point here. 

I'm...("_we're" _Sherry, yup that's her name, growls in the background)...ok, ok. _We're_ going to put in a few more main characters into the plot. Now don't worry, you all know them perfectly well so relax. First character will be your fun redhead Weasly girl...and yes, it's Ginny! Second character is your famous greasy, hooked nose, Potions Master! Sorry to all those who don't like him. But don't worry, this will not turn into a Severus/Harry story , because unfortunately, Miss Twingirl #2 here is not a big fan of Severus Snape. But if you guys insist on a Severitus Challenge I'll promise she would happily give in. How do you guys think of adding a Malfoy in here? Don't panic, he's not going to turn up just yet. Actually, he won't turn up at all (save the few conflicts with Harry. What's Harry's school life without Malfoy causing a few problems?), if you guys don't want him to. Just say the magic words *wink wink*.

Have you all read _"_The Velvet Ghost's" _Harry Potter and the Phoenix's Flight_? Really good story. Snape fans should take a look. Oops, I'm blabbering here. 

Oh, and if you find the style of writing different from the previous chapter, it's because the last chapter was written by Miss Sherry, so the tone and style will differ from mine. 

And many thanks to Tyler, Queen Cari, Gabriyalle Kylie Burman, GryffindorOfTheSouth, jessie81589 and linky2, who have reviewed so far into the story. ^_^ *hugging all and each of you*. You guys are the best! It's only these few reviews that's encouraging me to keep on writing. 

Some of the scenes here a bit wierd. You will see Harry arguing with his own head. But I'm sure a lot of you people also do that sometimes don't you? *smirk* , though it's not the Angel vs. Devil arguing on your shoulder scene. Anyway, I'm trying to portray a Harry making a decision, a choice scene, as picturesque as possible. Please tell me if I had succeeded or not. If not, give me the reason, and I'll try to improve.

Oh and one more thing. This chapter is rated PG for the mild cursing.

**=================--------------=====================---------------------==============

**A Deatheater's Meeting**

In a dark round vacant area surrounded by trees, in the very heart of a forest, stood a ring of wizards cloaked in black. Everything was black, save their pearly white masks which shone occasionally under the feeble moonlight. Shifting slightly, the wizards whispered and murmured with each other, waiting for the arrival of their Master. Their whispers, though, barely penetrated the deadly silence in the air. 

Only one remained silent, standing straight as a statue, his eyes narrowing. Severus Snape observed the clearing silently, though he was actually wondering the reason they were being summoned. It was the first summoning after two months, since the Dark Lord fled from the Atrium in the Ministrly of Magic. He knew the meeting today would not be good, though the mere _not good_ was an understatement. Severus glanced at the few gaps in their circle, which usually stood Lucius Malfoy, Rookwood, Nott, Avery, Macnair and those who got caught in the Department of Mysteries. 

_ Bless them. _Severus thought sarcastically. At least _he_ hadn't been summoned to do the dirty work that day. Though as much as his hands itched to give the Potter boy and his thick headed friends a few good cursings or two, he knew very well that the headmaster would not be pleased, and if they got caught, which they really did, the headmaster would be forced to place him into Azkaban along with the others, in order not to blow his cover. As long as the Dark Lord is not dead, he would have to remain a spy for the Order. He didn't like the job, always having to keep a mask on his face, showing as little expression and emotions as possible. No. He'd rather be in his dungeons at Hogwarts, enjoying himself by mixing up a challenging potion no other has been able to brew for a decade or reading through long complex potions books passed on from his grandparents. However, ill fate does not allow him that freedom. He will have to except it, though it was getting harder and harder on every summoning. 

A silent *pop* interrupted him from his thoughts. Dark and mysterious and evil as night itself, Lord Voldemort appeared in side the circle, red eyes blaring, his skin as white as ever.

_This is going to be one hell of a night. _Severus thought, his mind grimacing. 

"Ahhh. My dear Deatheaters, how are you?" Voldemort asked in menacingly sweet voice, smiling falsely. 

"Fine, My Lord." came the low mumurs from the crowd around him. 

"Yes, yes. I can see all of you in excellent health. But some of us are not. Some of us are still in Azkaban. And _I_ am not fine, either. _I _had fled the country with dear Bella and Wormtail, getting away from Dumbledore and the Ministry's Aurors. Yes, all of you are doing well and having fun. Yet, none of you came to my aid." Voldemort hissed.

"M-My Lord, w-we are terribly sorry. We..." a deatheater stuttered, crawling foreward. 

"SILENCE! No. You are not sorry. You are not sorry at all. I will make each and every one of you pay. Tonight!" The Dark Lord cried. 

"Crucio."

Agonizing cries broke the silence and darkness apart. Severus grimaced inwardly, knowing that any moment now it would be his turn. Luckily, he had enough sense to down some Pain-soothing Potion before leaving for the summoning. Being the ultimate Potions Master as he is, the potion he made could reduce half the pains he felt. 

The curse ended after a full three minutes. Silence once again dawned upon them. The deatheater cowarded on the ground panting and weeping slightly. He rose on his knees, crawled foreward and kissed the hem of the Dark Lord's robes, all the while mumuring, "thank you, my Lord."

One by one, the deatheaters were being held under the Cruciatus Curse. Each time the curse ended, the deatheater would crawl ceremonially to kiss the hems of the Dark Lords robes. Slowly, Severus' turn came steadily closer. 

"Ah, Severus. Good to see you again. Looking quite healthy, I see. Yes, yes. A curse on you wouldn't hurt you at the least, wouldn't it?" Voldemort said, smirking, while twirling his wand around his bony, long and sharp fingers. "Crucio."

Severus screamed. It was pain beyond pain. Yet it was much better than it really would have been, due to the numbing effect of his potion. However, he still screamed as if his very bones were on fire, yelling until his voice became hoarse. 

It was a whole five minutes before Voldemort lifted his wand, breaking the curse, still smirking. " Now that you have been punished the way you should have been. Let us get on to business." he said, glancing around the circle of bodies around him. Severus did the same ritual of kissing and giving thanks to the Dark Lord, and resumed his position in the circle. 

"We shall free my captured deatheaters in Azkaban. They are my most loyal deatheaters, and without them, I am at a great loss of force and power. They shall be rewarded heavily by me after succeeding the raid." Voldemort said. "Be prepared to attack an hour later. Wait here silently. I shall return when it is time." and with that, he disappeared with another faint *pop*.

_Damned! How am I going to alert Albus of the attack? Has the Dark Lord suspect of a traitor in this group? Oh god damned, what am I going to do? _Severus thought, worried. 

¡¡

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¡¡

"Crucio" Harry said, wand lifting into the air.

Severus screamed, and he smirked even wider. Very pleased with himself. Seeing his followers in great pain is really calming. Arms flailing about, back arching, bucking, withering on the ground and yet his voice seemed to be the most satisfying to hear. It was the very cry of utmost agony. The cry of pain beyond pain. Yet it felt soothing to his ears. Calming him from his frustrations. He had too much on his mind now. A little torturing is just what he needed. 

Harry lifted the wand once again, breaking the curse. 

"Now. On to business......we shall free my deatheaters from Azkaban." Harry said. "Prepare to attack...

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~======================~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~===============

¡¡

Harry awoke with a start, his scar twinging lightly. Sitting up weakly, he laid his back on the wall, letting the coldness of the wall soak into his back, calming him slightly. Glancing around, he spot Ron beside him, chest rising and falling rhythmatically, muttering something that sounded like, "take that you cheating scum!", while his arms convulsed occasionally. _At least someone is having a pleasant dream._ Harry thought.

He goaned, sinking his face into his clammy, cold yet sweaty hands, trying to register his dream. _Something about Snape. He was screaming. I was torturing him. No, wait. Hold that. It was Voldemort torturing him. Then, then...Oh god damned what then? Think, Harry. Think. It could be something important...Oh what WAS it? _Harry frustrated knacked his knuckles on his forehead, eyes squinting, trying to bring back the dream scene back into his head. However, the dream, as if not wanting Harry to find it out, was leaking from his brains like a water scooped into a straw basket. _Hurry, before the dream slips away completely. Voldemort laughed and then announced something. That something was...it was..._

Then it hit him. Like a freight train coursing in full speed, it his mind with a hard blow. "Oh my God! Voldemort is going to raid Azakaban to free his deatheaters." Harry barely croaked. _But when? He vaguely remembered his dream ended just before he got to "say", no, "hear" the time. I have to tell Dumbledore! _

He started from his bed, struggling with his blanket for a minute before landing both feet on the cool floor, and creeping across the dark bedroom. _How should I contact him? Owl? No, too slow. Floo? Possible, though it brings back painful memories...all right. Floo it is. _

His hands gripped the brass door knob, just about to fling it open when he stopped dead in his tracks. _Don't be so rash Harry. What if it was just another Dream again? What if it was another false scene implanted into his head, to lure the Order members out to Azkaban with a full field of Dementors and Deatheaters awaiting them, bringing the Order ultimate destruction? Or what if it was just Voldemort's plan of a joke, trying to get the Order members all worked-up? No, keep calm Harry. Didn't you see Snape? Snape is an Order member. He would alert Dumbledore if there were a real real attack. Don't get overworked. _

Resigned from his own thoughts, Harry tiptoed back into bed, settling down and trying to pack in a few more hours of sleep. He laid down, staring at the ceiling, his head resting on his arms. He forced his mind to sleep, to shut down. Yet Sleep never came to him. A blanket of uneasiness swept over him, covering him, smothering him, chocking him. _This is stupid!_ He thought angrily. He tried to calm down, to push away the uneasiness by a few well taken deep breaths. It didn't work. Something in the back of his head was trying to tell him something important, something he shouldn't ignore. 

He sighed, knowing very well sleep would not come to him unless the matter at hand was settled. For the next ten minutes, which felt like eternity, Harry just laid there, debating whether or not to tell Dumbledore about his dream. One part of him was telling him that it would be ridiculous to imform Dumbledore, because he doesn't even know when the raid was supposed to happen. But then, another part of him kept nudging him on, telling him that something dreadful was going to happen, and it was going to be all his fault for not telling Dumbledore. 

Soon, the paranoid side of his mind got the better of him. 

¡¡

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¡¡

Snape leaned against a tree, eyes downcast, deep in troubled thought. What was he going to do? Should he just blow his cover by disapparating to Hogsmeade, run up to Hogwarts, and warn the Headmaster? No. Not only will the Order lose a valuable source for information in the Dark Lord's ranks, he would have to face his dire consequences later. _And it defintely wouldn't be pretty_. he thought grimly. 

_Oh, for Gods sake! _He cursed in his head for the ten thousandsth time, while kicking at the loosed dirt under his feet. He leaned heavily against the tree again, sighing softly, for he knew his every actions could be watched by someone. So right he was. 

"Bad mood, Severus?" asked a deatheater, which he registered to be Parkinson by the man's voice. 

"None of your business." he growled. 

"Ohh. It seems our old Potions Master here is extremely touchy." 

If it were not for the mask covering Snape's face, the man by the name of Parkingon would have seen a heavy scowl scribbled on top of Severus' face. Mustering as much patience possible, Severus replied in a collective tone, "Well if you want to know Parkinson, I have spent the whole entire day arranging a syllabus for thick headed students that never manage to get _anything_ right. You would not be in your best spirit doing such dull yet useless work for a whole day. Also, I'm quite tired at the moment, if you want to know." 

Of course he had not been working on the syllabus for Potions lesson. He had finished that dull work a month ago. But it was the only productive thing to say on the spur of the moment, in order to shut that Parkinson up. 

¡¡

~~~~~~===================~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~==============~~~~~~~~~~~~~=======

¡¡

The cackling flames turned bright emerald as Harry threw in a handful of Floo powder. Stating clearly yet trying to keep his voice down in order not to wake up the other residence sleeping in the house, "Hogwarts school, Headmaster's Office." Then he took a deep breath, and stuck his head into the fire. 

Just in those few seconds, he recalled again when he last stuck his head into a fireplace, seeing a room bare of people, except of the ugly house elf, Kreacher. The mad elf stood there telling him that Sirius had left for the Ministry, and...

_Stop. Don't think about that now. That was about two months ago, the situation at hand now is more pressing. _His mind cutted into his memories. Harry was grateful for that. A circular room with many portraits, a room all too familiar to him swam into view. 

"Professor Dumbledore?" he called out.

The old wizard, writing by his desk, startled, glanced into the fireplace. 

"Harry?" he asked, "what brings your head to my humble office?" blue eyes twinkling madly. 

"I, uh...well umm. Why aren't you in bed, sir?" Harry stuttered.

"Ah well, when you come to my age, Harry, you will see that sleeping comes by harder than during the age of youth. Now, what did you _really_ want to ask? I'm sure you didn't get out of bed just to ask me why I haven't retired yet." the esteemed Headmaster asked. 

"Um...you see, sir. Err, has Snape, I mean Professor Snape come back from his deatheater meetings?" Harry finally blurted out. 

Dumbledore frowned. "Why, I don't know how you knew he was at a meeting, but yes indeed, he was summoned an hour ago. And no, he has not yet returned. What is the matter?" 

"I had another dream, sir. I was Voldemort again. I, or should I say, _Voldemort_ was torturing Professor Snape with the Cruciatus Curse, and then he said something about raiding Azkaban to free the deatheaters you captured. I didn't hear when though. I awoke just when he was about to say it." Harry, head hung down, disappointed with himself. 

"An attack on Azkaban you say." Dumbledore stroked his posh long beard thoughtfully, "and about when did your dream occur?"

"About fifteen minutes ago. I wasn't sure whether the dream was irrelevant or not, but I decided to tell you anyways." Harry replied. Then he hastely added, "do you think it was a real or was it some false information just like last time?" 

"Well, I certainly cannot say. Severus has not yet returned nor contacted me. I'm afraid he is in a state where he cannot do anything without being suspicious." 

"Then, are you going to do anything about this, sir?" 

"Before we get to a full conclusion on whether the dream was real or not, I do not feel sending the whole Order and Ministry Aurors out rational. Therefore, I will post a few guards near Azkaban. If there is any movement, we will attack. Now why don't you call Remeus down here. I believe a chat to be in order." 

"Alright, I will. Thank you, sir." and with that, he drew his head out of the fire with a faint *pop*. 

¡¡

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A/N: I know. This chapter is longer than the previous ones. But DON'T GET USED TO IT! It's not going to happen often, and be happy that it did this time. ^_^\/


	11. The RaidPart 1

A/N: Hello to all my readers out there! This is Twingirl #1.(again).Once more I thank you for your patience at waiting for me to update. As usual, schoolwork has taken a toll on me. Plus, a Taekwondo test is coming up soon, and so I'm working real hard here. LOL.  
  
  
I know I'm blabbering again here. Do forgive me my dear readers. I just LUV to write the author's notes. And I know you luv them too.^_^  
  
Well I see no one has yet given me a reply on whether to gradually modify this into a Harry/Snape/Malfoy story. Anyways, I'll think about it.  
  
And to those that think I'm doing too long on one raid, then I apologize profusely. I haven't been able to come up on how to make the duelings between wizards interesting and exciting, so I'm warming up the raid a little.  
  
  
  
Okay, thanks for hearing me blabber my usual prep talk. Now on with the story!  
  
Chapter 11  
  
The Raid-Part One  
  
  
The night grew old and with it, the air grew cold. Northern winds started, blowing at the billowing black robes of the man leaning against the tree, causing them to dance and ripple in the night's air. Brow furrowing, Severus Snape was in deep thought.  
  
Swimming in his mind were possible ways to alert Dumbledore whilst doing so unnoticed by his "comrade" deatheaters. His ideas, impossible to start with, were growing more and more outlandish and impossible as time passed.  
  
Cause a fire and use the minute intervals when the deatheaters are trying to suppress the fire to apparate to Grimmaulds Place and back..unless the fire was strong enough to keep them busy for a long while and he was able to move with the speed of light.  
  
Transfigure the rotten leaves on the ground into an owl, quill and parchment, write a quick note send the owl off and transfigure the quill and parchment back.not that Severus was not confident in his transfiguring skills. Although Potions was his strong suit, his other subjects were not far behind either. No, he had the skill, but doing so in stealth and speed was out of the question. There was, annoying as it was, the fact that his every single little move was being watched and anything out of the ordinary would be reported back to the Dark Lord, was his largest obstacle here.  
  
  
He could just kill the whole lot of them, flee to China and never be seen again...  
  
  
Keep on going Severus, and your unorthodox ideas will be even more outlandish than what Potter and his gang could ever think of. He thought, amused .  
  
He sighed heavily again.  
  
However, this time, it was in defeat.  
  
**************************************************************************** **************************************************************************** *********   
  
Harry trudged quietly upstairs, towards Remeus' room. His heart was thumping normally, but still he felt as if something unknown was squeezing his chest, as if suffocating him.  
  
  
He shrugged, trying to put aside the queer feeling. Midway he stopped, took a deep breath, and carried on his climbing, feeling considerably better. Third door on the right, one, two, three, there. Raising a fist, he knocked three times though quietly so.   
  
"Who is it?" a sleepy voice muttered.   
  
"It's Harry." Harry replied.   
  
"Harry?" the voice sounding more awake then three seconds ago. "Alright, I'm coming."   
  
The door opened. A tired face of Remeus stuck out of the doorway. Though his face was gray and sleepy from the lack of sleep, his eyes were bright and alert.   
  
"What's the matter, Harry?" he asked in concern.   
  
"I had a dream about a deatheaters meeting. Snape was there." Harry described his dreams and his talk with Dumbledore. "Dumbledore asked to have a conference with you."   
  
Lupin looked thoughtful, but he quickly rendered into action, after telling Harry, " now why don't you go back to your room and try to get more sleep. It seems I have not the fortune to it, but see that you do." With that, he quickly went downstairs.   
  
Harry quietly tiptoed back inside his room, careful not to wake Ron up. He slid under the covers, yawning widely, while thinking "maybe sleep will come yet."   
  
"What's going on, Harry?"   
  
Harry jumped a meter high at this, his heart racing. "RON! Don't ever do that to me! You're even worse than Dobby!" He said, rubbing his hand on his chest. " and what are you doing? I thought you were asleep."   
  
"Sorry mate. Well I was asleep until you went sneaking out of here. Making quite a racket there, creeping to and back from your bed." Ron said grinning, his flaming red hair shining in the dark. "so, what's going on here, eh? What have I missed?"   
  
Harry once again related the string of events that had happened in the short recent hours. When he got to Snape being tortured under the Crutiatus, Ron grinned and said, "Served him right, the old greasy bat!"   
  
Harry smiled weakly at this, but in reality, now that he had seen Snape being tortured, he sort of held the man under a new light. He felt that there was more to that old bat than he thought.   
  
He probably has to endure that often. Harry thought, shuddering mentally. He knew that Voldemort often tortures his deatheaters by past experiences, but now that he had really seen the Potion's Master tortured, and literally by himself, he.   
  
"Harry? Harry?- EARTH TO HARRY JAMES POTTER!"   
  
Harry started and jumped again from his bed.   
  
"Ron!" while rubbing his ears furiously.   
  
"Well I had to since you weren't responding to normal voice volume." Ron said, as though quite put off. "I'd thought you lost it, staring into space like that. And anyways, what were you thinking of? The raid? Aw, relax Harry. Dumbledore will sort it out just fine, don't get yourself all worked up."   
  
Harry sighed heavily.   
  
"Yeah, I guess your right. Now let's get some sleep, alright? I've still got lessons tomorrow." He pulled his covers up promptly, yawned while muttering," Night Ron." **************************************************************************** **************************************************************************** ***********   
Severus was still leaning against the tree, practically unmoved, and as silent and stiff, as if a shadow. Suddenly, three "pops´ emitted from what was only air, and in its place stood two wizards and a witch. The witch had a smug look on her face and smirking smartly.   
  
Voldemort glanced around, sneering with malice. He spoke softly yet radiating with evil and power, "It is time."   
  
Here we go. Severus thought just before he, along with the other deatheaters, apparated. **************************************************************************** **************************************************************************** ***********   
"Albus!" a grave looking face of Remeus Lupin appeared in the fire.   
  
"It has started?" Dumbledore replied calmly, though upon closer observation, his eyes were no longer twinkling as it used to. In fact, it was radiating with power, cold yet determined.   
  
"Yes. I'm afraid so. Tonks has reported back that the Dementors have started coming out of the cells, and are arranging in a circle just outside the prison building."   
  
"Alright. I'll be coming over."   
  
Remeus gave a curt nod, and his head disappeared with a "pop". **************************************************************************** **************************************************************************** ***********   
He was soaring alongside of a magnificent bird emblazed with golden and red feathers. They were traveling along with tremendous speed, as the clouds they passed were in a white blur. It was then that he noticed he was not on his Firebolt. He gave a startled jumped, but realize he was not falling. Surprised, he glanced backwards.   
  
He was a bird! He was the almost the same size, if not larger, than the bird beside him. His feathers were blazing red with streaks of golden, black and silver. His tail was a handful of fire, trailing behind him. His wings were covered with feathers, but the tip of the feathers was also ablazed with fire, just like his tail.   
  
The two magnificent birds were soaring towards a mass forest. Harry saw a clearing right in the middle of the ocean of trees, and caught the sight of a circle of man cloaked in black before they all disappeared.   
  
Then, he was falling. Not through the air though. No, he was falling through darkness. Falling, falling. He wondered when he would stop when suddenly he felt his forehead sizzle with pain, but he felt unearthly malicious.,, Malicious?!?!  
  
**************************************************************************** **************************************************************************** ******  
The Dark Lord's forces arrived at the lonely island of Azkaban, only to be fully held under the wands and determined gazes of a dozen aurors, and another dozen order members.  
  
A dark-skinned wizard stepped out of their circle, surrounding the Dark Lord and his forces, and said boldly," tonight your remaining forces are doomed, Voldemort!"  
  
"How?." was what the shocked Dark Lord had only been able to utter before the Light attacked with full force.  
  
"ATTACK!" Voldemort cried out, "fight to your deaths! This is the moment you shall be showered upon glory!"  
  
With that, war broke out. No one noticed a skinny dark haired boy still wearing night clothes appear suddenly out of nowhere in their chaotic midst. ? **************************************************************************** **************************************************************************** ********** Cliffy, but it's my first do don't think I'm evil!! *cackling madly*  
Oh and whoever has suggestions on what the raid should be like please tell me! 


	12. The Raid II

A/N: Thank God! Final Term Examination is over, yippie! Wish me good luck!  
  
I know you'll expect more updates, but I'm glad to say our whole family is going on a trip to Australia! (Glad for me that is.) ^ducking rotten tomatoes and onions flying towards me^ I'll try to make more updates, but it's not going to be a guarantee. However, if the reviews make it to 20, I promise on pain of death to ensure you guyz two more updates, savvy? ^wink wink^. (I love Pirates of the Carribean. I've watched it four times now and I'm still preparing to watch it for another four times.)  
  
And guess which of your favorite authors wrote this chapter?  
  
IMPORTANT: And here's a little explanation for this chapter I failed to tell in the previous chapter. The Deatheaters are fighting here, but old Voldie himself apparated away, and did not engage in the battle. Why? It is because he thinks himself too highly, and engagement in such small battles is not of his worth. Though you are highly welcomed to think that he's just a mean old coward. ^_^  
  
Chapter 12 The Raid II  
  
"EXPECTO PATRONUM!" a huge magnificent stag of slivery white substance glided over the grounds and swept every single filthy Dementor in sight off their arse (literally). There it charged, straight and proud fully clad with honour and glory. The sight was so magnificent, so beautiful that every single wizard and witch, both dark and light, stopped dueling, and was collectively gaping at the bright charging figure.  
  
Only one wizard, however, was not staring at the stag, but searching amidst the darkness for a black-haired, green-eyed boy. How many times had he seen that all-too-familiar stag while they roamed the castle, the school ground, and occasionally, the Forbidden Forest? One glance at it, and that was what all he needed. Now he had to find the boy.  
  
There he was, hidden behind some broken walls, still clad in pajamas. He silently crawled over to him. The young wizard also saw him, and crept closer to him.  
  
"Professor Lupin! I didn't mean-" Harry started.  
  
"Shh Harry. Not now. You can explain afterwards. Now is the problem as how to get you back." Remeus told him.  
  
"But professor, I want to fight!" Harry said with determination.  
  
"No, Harry. We cannot afford to lose you or have you injured in a small raid. And anyways, Molly and the children will be worried sick when they've found that you've suddenly disappeared. Not now, Harry. Not today. Your time will come when you have to fight."  
  
While they were conversing, the war resumed behind them.  
  
Tonks was having a grim battle with Bellatrix Lestrange. Their wands were laid forgotten on the floor, while they were having an extremely wild catfight with nails, legs and fists. Both witches were panting, sweating, and had large bruises all over. Tonks, though also bore a few bruises, was looking somewhat smug at the huge black eye she had given to Bellatrix.  
  
Dumbledore, clad in all his glories, his white beard flashing, was taking on three Deatheaters at a time, at the far side of the desolated island. By the looks of it, the three Deatheaters were having a hard time, and was soon Stupefied and bounded with a wave of the wand by Dumbledore. Then Dumbledore went on to pursue three more Deatheaters.  
  
"Expelliarmus!" Kingsley aimed a well-shot curse at a masked wizard. The dark wizard ducked and rolled away from the curse's harm, but surprisingly, towards the dark-skinned Auror. Just as Kingsley was about to land a kick at the Deatheater, the Deatheater suddenly leaped from the ground and feinted a blow towards him, while muttering furiously in his ear, "Work with me!"  
  
Kingsley stood shocked for a second, before a flickered light of understanding passed in his eyes, and he gave the Deatheater before him a subtle nod, and shot a curse at him again. The Deatheater leaped out of harm's way and the curse struck another unfortunate Deatheater right behind him.  
  
The pair worked on like that for another quarter of an hour. Sometimes they were deliberately striking mild spells and curses at each other, which the hitter would always allow the struck wizard enough time to Prior Incantatem the spell. And sometimes, they purposely would miss each other, hitting another fellow Deatheater that was unfortunate enough to stand near them.  
  
Isolated from all the chaos, the pair hidden behind the wall conversed on.  
  
"Professor, I think I have a theory as how I might have gotten here." Harry said.  
  
"Go on." Nodded encouragingly to him.  
  
"Well I was having this very bizarre dream. I'll tell you later the about the whole thing. I only know that I had a very strong desire to arrive here. Suddenly I felt a hook on my navel and I appeared here. During my dream, I subconsciously felt my hand lying on my chest, right where the amulet Professor Moody gave me was." Harry said, while gesturing his hands to his chest.  
  
"I think it was my urge of wanting to arrive here that triggered the amulet and brought me here, Professor."  
  
"Hmm. Interesting theory. But I'm afraid we won't be testing that theory today. It is too dangerous, in case you do manage to transport yourself but to the wrong place, no one will know where to find you. We will test the amulet later, under careful supervision." Remeus said.  
  
"Now I will make a portkey and send you back." He said, gripping his wand.  
  
"What's my dad's animagus form, Professor?" Harry suddenly asked.  
  
Remeus chuckled. "A stag. Good, good. Disturbing as it might be, it is always good to keep under 'constant vigilance' as Moody says. And in these dark times, you will need it."  
  
He grabbed a loose stone of from the ground and muttered, "Portus." The stone glowed for a second, before returning to its normal state.  
  
"Take care, professor." Harry said. He then grabbed the stone from Lupin's outstretched hands and disappeared from the battlegrounds in a whirl of colors.  
  
Remeus stood out from the protection of the walls, and stepped onto the battlefield.  
  
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^  
The light side was winning and the dark side knew this. However, while most Deatheaters were dueling, a few sneaky wizards, which included our mouse friend Wormtail, crept into the cells and unlocked the prisoners inside them. Once they were free, and outside, he mustered as much dignity as possible in his voice, and yelled, " RETREAT!"  
  
A few Aurors noticed this, and quickly shot spells at the escaped prisoners. Some were brought down, but still the most wanted Lucious Malfoy, managed to slip away. Many Deatheaters were captured, and bounded in anti-apparation wards, another smaller handful managed to escape. With numerous ^pops^, they disappeared into the night  
  
Harry appeared in the dining room, just in time to see a frantic Mrs. Weasley running at him, crying in hysterics. Before he had time to react, Harry was enveloped in a tight hug.  
  
"Oh, Harry! How could you do this? Suddenly disappearing from your bed in the middle of the night! We thought you might have been captured! Oh Harry!" Mrs. Weasly sobbed onto his shoulder, "How are you? Oh my, you are freezing cold. And you are still in your night clothes!? Why don't you go take a bath, dear. Dress in something warm, and come downstairs with an explanation." Mrs. Weasly said, failing to make her last sentence sound more like an order.  
  
Harry grinned sheepishly. "Yes, I'm alright, Mrs. Weasley.May I go take a shower now?" he asked, when Mrs, Weasley seemed to have no intention to break away from the hug.  
  
"Hm? Oh yes, dear. Off you go. I'll go prepare some hot chocolate." She said, releasing him, and bustled off into the kitchen.  
  
After taking a nice long bath, he went downstairs cleaned and refreshed. Right on cue, the front door burst open, and in trudged a tired crew of Order members.  
  
"Professor Lupin, Professor Dumbledore! Could I have a moment with you?" Harry said, beckoning a tired sagging Remeus and Dumbledore in his usual jolly yet dignified self, down to the kitchen.  
  
Down at the kitchen, when Harry, Remeus, Dumbledore, Hermione, Ron, Ginny and Mrs. Weasley were all seated in front of the table, each nursing a cup of steaming hot chocolate, Ron, a bit pale in the face, asked," So Harry, what happened, mate? I was just about to fall asleep when a flash of light woke me up, and I opened my eyes just in time to see you disappear from your bed."  
  
"I-umm-I was transported to Azkaban." Harry said sheepishly.  
  
"Azkaban? That's where the raid was!" Mrs. Weasley said frantically, "Oh you could've gotten hurt, Harry dear."  
  
"It's okay Mrs. Weasley, I'm perfectly fine." Harry assured her.  
  
"Harry." Hermione, who was silent previously, spoke up, " why don't you tell us what happened right from the beginning."  
  
"Alright. I was having this dream, when I suddenly had this urge to go to Azkaban. I think at that time, I laid my hand on this." Harry said, pulling out the present Moody gave him.  
  
"I think it was this thing that transported me to Azkaban. When I got there, I just saw blend of dark and light wizards fighting each other, and I didn't know how I could help. I don't even know why I suddenly desperately wanted to help in the fight. I felt a déjà vu sense of determination. So I did the only thing sensible. I cast a Patronus to fend of the Dementors." Harry said.  
  
"Yes. What a tremor it sent. Everyone stopped in their tracks just to gaze at the magnificent thing Harry cast." Remeus chuckled at the memory.  
  
"But Harry, how could you have cast a Patronus Charm?" Ron suddenly asked.  
  
"Ron, what do you mean? Don't tell me you forgot Harry can cast corporeal Patronus'." Hermione huffed at Ron, looking displeased.  
  
"No, it's not that. It's, well-"Ron said nervously, "you didn't have your wand with you, Harry." And pulled out Harry's piece of magical wooden stick from his pockets.  
  
Muhahaha! Another chapter done, and with a nice little cliffy too. ^smirk^ REVIEWS REVIEWS REVIEWS! 


	13. Wandless Magic

A/N: Glad everyone liked the previous chapter! I really had fun writing it! Even Twingirl #2 (my twin sister) liked it! ^gazing fondly at her. "Hey! Wutcha lookin' at?" She snaps^ ah, well..  
  
Here are some replies to the reviews:  
  
Dragonstorm316: Oh my god! Thanks for pointing that out for me....(us). I have absolutely NO idea why I made that mistake. Again, thank you!  
  
Shdurrani: Thank you, I will! ^_^ Got caught red handed, eh? Well to tell you the truth, most of these chapters are written by me, and I think, so will most of the future chapters. My adoring sister, has decided to become my beta-reader.  
  
Vanilja: Thank you, I'm so flattered. And I think your opinion is highly applicable, I'll consider it in the future chapters.  
  
Ters: Boy?? ^hmm, must be cuz I'm too evil to be a gurl.....^ LOL. All in all, thanks a lot for your support!  
  
Mikee: Wow, a lot of question. Hmm..let me see ^scratch scratch^ As to the first question, no. Severus will not cut slack on Harry because he helped to assist the Order. However, that does not mean he will not eventually change feelings for the boy..due to other reasons. ^wink^. Alright second question, interesting theory, but I guess you can only wait and see. (^oh my god! I AM turing evil^)  
  
Thelvyn: Ah thank you. I'm enjoying putting cliff-hangers in the chapters, too. And about your opinion, I'll just say I will consider it.  
  
PrphtssP: Hehe, I think so, too. Oh, and as to Voldie, I'm afraid you missed my note at the top of the chapter where it tells you Voldie apparated away and left his cronies to do the dirty work.  
  
Lady Lily3: ohh...^muttering "slave driver" under my breath^ LOL.I'm just kidding. I did promise to give you guys two chapters when the reviews reach 20.  
  
Hpfan1: You hate cliffhangers? Well I'm afraid I have just started enjoying them...hehe. All in all, thank you for your support.  
  
JamesTag: Thank you, I will.  
  
Now back to the story!!  
  
Chapter 13  
  
Wandless Magic  
  
Harry paled instantly when realization struck. "I-I-I didn't use my wand." He said, gazing at his hands as if examining a new Quidditch broom. "But how-"  
  
"I found it under your pillow, right after you ^poofed^ off." Ron stated.  
  
"Harry," a wide-eyed Hermione squeal, "you just did wandless magic!"  
  
"It's supposed to be very hard, but was a common practice during the founder's age. It died out during Grindelwald's Age, when more wizards and witches were needed to fight. Using a wand made wizards and witches learn much faster than learning wandless magic. However in doing so, a lot of powerful spells and curses were lost, because those spells could not be applied to wands. Also, when a wizard or witch is able to control wandless magic, the spells that he or she casts is three times more powerful than using a wand to cast the same spell. " Hermione said, all in a single breath.  
  
"Ah, good Miss Granger. If school term had started I would gladly have awarded Gryffindor 10 points for showing such profound knowledge." Dumbledore said merrily.  
  
"Thank you, Professor" a red-faced Hermione replied.  
  
"Show-off." Ron muttered silently, but unfortunately Hermione heard. Ron got a dark look and a hard knock in the shins by Hermione, her face turning into a shade of scarlet.  
  
"Well I happen to find possessing such "profound knowledge" highly useful." Hermione sniffed.  
  
"Well-" Ron started.  
  
"Then how did I manage to do wandless magic, Professor Dumbledore?" Harry interrupted, trying to stop his two friend's bickering, while his own curiosity was brimming over the cauldron's top.  
  
"I believe, Harry, that you are able to cast wandless magic during a highly emotional state, whether it is happiness, anger, or grief. If you recall the summer before your third year, when you accidentally ah..inflated your Aunt, were you feeling highly emotional?"  
  
"Yes, I was." Harry said, looking up towards the ceiling, "she was insulting my parents, so I got angry, before I knew it, she was floating on the ceiling."  
  
"Yes, then my assumption is right. If you were to do wandless magic right now, I'm afraid it will not work." Said Dumbledore.  
  
"Why don't you try, Harry." Hermione said, no longer arguing with Ron.  
  
"Alright." Harry started, flexing his fingers, stared at the cup of hot chocolate in front of him. "Wingardium Levio-"  
  
Just then, Snape still clad in Deatheater wear burst into the kitchen.  
  
"Albus." He said briskly, giving the headmaster a curt nod.  
  
"Yes. Now why don't you children go get some more sleep? I read in a muggle health book that children under the age of 18 should sleep no less than 7 hours a day. It is bad for one's health. Now chop, chop. All of you." Dumbledore exclaimed brightly, while herding Harry and the lot out of the kitchen.  
  
Snape scowled at Dumbledore's merriness but said nothing.  
  
"Now, let's get down to business." Dumbledore said.  
  
"Headmaster, I believe the Dark Lord is aware of a traitor among his followers." Severus said darkly, " and also from rumors among the Deatheaters, the Dark Lord has already won the interests of the Giants, and is moving on to recruiting Vampires, and the Potenputicia (word and thing I made up.)  
  
Remeus shivered, however not because of the cold.  
  
Dumbledore paled slightly, " Severus, Remeus, please assist me at Hogwarts tomorrow to strengthen the wards. I shall also summon all the other professors. Our student's safety is our Number One priority."  
  
The two Professors plus one ex-Professor all fell silent.  
  
"How did you know there was going to be a deatheater raid in Azkaban at midnight?" Snape finally unable to contain his curiosity, blurted out.  
  
"Why, young Mr. Potter warned us of it." Dumbledore replied.  
  
"Potter!" Snape hissed, "and how did he obtain this information? Got into more mischief I gather?"  
  
"Well that is for you to find out his story to tell." Dumbledore said pleasantly.  
  
Snape scowled.  
  
Dumbledore gave a slight wink at Remeus, all the while totally undetected by the scowling Potions Master.  
  
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^  
  
The few remaining weeks passed by uneventfully. Harry had lessons every odd weekday, while Ron and Ginny played Quidditch outside. Hermione, no matter shine or rain, was always found curled up with a thick volume in her hands.  
  
All to soon, it was September 1st, and Grimmauld's Place was in total chaos.  
  
"Where are my socks? Where are my bloody socks?" a fully robed Ron stalked all over the house, yelling at the top of his lungs.  
  
"They're on your bloody feet, oh brother of mine." A grumpy Ginny said, still droopy-eyed.  
  
"Well where are my shoes, then? They're not on my feet."  
  
"Oh bother." Ginny, rolling her eyes went back to her room to finish some last minute packing, muttering "boys.hmph" under her breath.  
  
Mrs. Weasley was in the kitchen making her traditional stack of always- warm charmed toast. She was humming lightly the Weird Sister's hit song of the year while buttering the stack of toast with her wand.  
  
Tonks was in her usual happy mood trying to help people pack, but ended up tripping and dropping whatever she had in her hands. After tripping over Harry's trunk for the fifth consecutive time, dropping his books all over the floor, and saying "I'm so sorry, Harry. I'll pick them up.", Harry said, " It's okay, Tonks. I can manage them myself. If I were you, I'd help Ron over there." Nodding his head toward Ron's bed, where there were more things on it than in his trunk.  
  
"Okay." Tonks said, and bounced over to help Ron.  
  
Harry sighed, took one last look around his bed, fitted the last three books into his trunk, and carried it downstairs. Mad-eye Moody was waiting impatiently downstairs. When he spotted Harry coming down, he growled, "are the others done yet, Potter?"  
  
"No." said Harry, "Ron's still got a bunch of stuff on his bed. Tonks helping him though."  
  
"Well, they've better hurry. We won't want to miss the train." Moody said huffily, and then quietly to Harry, "still got that amulet I gave you, son?"  
  
Harry nodded.  
  
"Good. I heard from Lupin that you just found out another of it's uses, eh? Use it well, son. And don't you dare take it off, you hear?"  
  
"Yes sir."  
  
"Good." Moody looked at Harry, while turning his magical eye towards the stairs, "ah, here they come. Let's get going."  
  
AWWW..no cliffie on this chapter. But oh well. Enjoy! 


	14. Home At Last

A/N: Sorry palz for such a long wait. I know I had promised you a quick update in the previous chapter, but my first weeks of school were unusually busy. And now that I have finally settled down, I have Writer's Block! Of all the misfortunes I could get, I had to get this particular one. My writing progress of this chapter was very slow, and I do apologize. In hope to insure the quality of the story, I had to write with the speed of a snail's crawling. I hope it will go away soon. ^sighs^  
  
Lots to say, but I just can't bring them into words. Oh well, another time then.  
  
Enjoy! And Review! I'm in desperate need for the encouragement!  
  
^......^=italicized  
  
Chapter 14  
  
Home At Last  
  
The ride on Hogwart's Express was quite uneventful, save when Trevor the toad escaped and Neville in a failed attempt to ^Accio^ it back, set the hem of Harry's robe on fire. While apologizing profusely and trying to put out the fire, he in result burned his hand, and was yelling with pain. Harry in a hurry pulled out his own wand from his pockets, but he accidentally knocked Hedwig's cage off the seat, causing it to bounce on to the floor, and roll across to the other side of the compartment, with the poor snowy white owl shrieking. The racket finally ended with Hermione putting out the fire with a simple Water Charm, repairing Harry's singed robes, and bandaging Neville's hand until he could receive proper medication from Madam Promfrey. Harry had to apologized over and over to his pet owl and treating her to a whole handful of owl treats, before Hedwig would stop turning her tail towards his face. Luna fluttered in later on with her always-dreamy look at startling all of them when she asked if they have ever seen their great-great-great grandfather.  
  
Malfoy and his cronies never showed up at all, which was a great relief to Harry, though he found it quite out of the ordinary. Usually, their trips to Hogwarts always involved with some kind of confrontation of the Slytherin trio, be it physical, magical, or verbal.  
  
Harry laid back into his seat, watching the sun drop slowly into the distant mountains and changing from bright yellow into a fiery red ball. As the countryside rolled by, the wilderness of the Scottish moors came swiftly into view. Black angry clouds floated overhead, threatening to burst open any moment, as if in an attempt to welcome the students back to school.  
  
Ron and Hermione were engaged in a chess game. From Hermione's contorted face and Ron's gleeful smirk, Harry could tell she was far from winning the game.  
  
The food trolley arrived halfway through the journey and Harry bought every single treat available. The trolley witch warned him kindly that he might not be able to finish that much food, but Harry just shrugged his shoulders and dug out the amount he had to pay. The witch left with a sigh, but not before Harry could hear her mutter, "adolescents. They never listen to an adult's kind advice."  
  
"Hey Harry, me and Hermione—" Ron started to say.  
  
"It's Hermione and ^I^, Ron. Seriously, can't you even talk without grammatical errors?" Hermione asked.  
  
"Alright, alright. Hermione and I are going on patrol through the train. We'll be back in a jiffy. Say," spotting Harry's food pile, "can I have a few of those chocolate frogs and cauldron cakes? I'm absolutely starving. Breakfast seemed ages ago."  
  
Harry, only too happy to share his food, said, "yeah sure. Help yourself."  
  
"Gee, thanks, mate." Said Ron, before slapping him playfully on the back and exiting the compartment with Hermione.  
  
Harry sighed. He looked around the compartment trying to find something to do. Finding nothing, he sank back into his seat again and began thinking of nothing in particular. However, it is just those moments that sad memories protruded into his mind: Sirius falling through the flapping veil with not but a surprised look on his face... He didn't even have time to say good-bye to his Godfather. All had happened so sudden, so fast, as if it were a dream...  
  
However, he did not cry. He had cried enough. He would mourn in silence. He would always honour and remember the memories of him...that bark- like laughter, those mischief-maker's eyes, the first day they met, him shutting up an annoying portrait, him singing Christmas carols, him wagging his tail at him...  
  
Yes, he had grieved enough. It was time to move on. It was time to meet up with his future expectations: to kill, or be killed. It sounded so simple, his future laid out before him with only five words. Yet, those five words had been haunting him before he was a before he even existed. How could such prejudice exist in this world?  
  
How many times had he hoped he could switch lives with someone? With Ron, perhaps. Ron had everything Harry hoped he had: a mother, a father, siblings both young and old; a real family that really loved him. Then how many times had he told himself that that wouldn't happen? He'd just have to live up to it. What he ^can^ do, however, is make sure he is the one that kills, as much as the prospect makes him shudder. He had to be brave. He had to be brave for Sirius, for his parents, for his friends, for Dobby, for...  
  
"Are you alright, Harry?" a nervous voice broke Harry's thread of thoughts. He realized his hands were clutched tight. Shallow red marks on his palms indicated where his nails had dug into his hands.  
  
"You looked pale just now. Have you caught a cold?" the voice asked again.  
  
"I'm fine, Ginny. I was just—thinking..." Harry replied somberly.  
  
"Oh." The female redhead nodded, patted his hand and answered in response, "I understand. I know that you probably don't want to talk about it, but—we're always there to listen. "  
  
Harry was about to snap back at her, telling her she didn't understand, that she didn't understand what it was like to lose a loved one, but he bit back when he saw the sincere and look of understanding in her chocolate eyes.  
  
He sighed.  
  
"Thanks, Gin." He said.  
  
"No problem. What are friends for?" She said with a shrug, gave him a smile, and bounced off to tag on Luna.  
  
Harry wondered why he had never noticed Ginny before. Just their brief conversation had made left him in a brighter mood. Her smile was so pure, so bright. Usually, he only considered her as Ron's little sister, the youngest of the Weasley household, but not often did he look at her and thought of her as just...Ginny.  
  
Glancing at her figure half turned towards him, talking animatedly with the fifth year Ravenclaw, he realized that maybe...just ^maybe^ Ginny will have more of an impact on his life than he thought. He should get to know her better, maybe...  
  
"Bam!" the compartment door banged open. Startled, Harry's hearted almost skipped a beat. For half a second, he thought Malfoy would come barging in to disrupt their ride...again. However through the door, in marched Ron with Hermione at his heels.  
  
"Back! Did you miss us?" Ron asked in mock concern.  
  
"Miss you!? Hell no. It's a good thing I have a healthy heart, or else I'd have a heart attack right now, you know? I could have died, right then and there, and it would be entirely your fault, Ronald Weasely. " Harry clutched at his chest and said in a fake hurt voice.  
  
"Haha." Ron let out a chuckle and sat down heavily onto the seat beside Harry, rubbed his stomach and moaned. "Aww, I hate patrolling. They make me hungry. Those annoying little ickledinkies of a first year just simply drive me crazy. They even started a food fight right inside their compartment, and me and—Hermione and ^I^ had to clean up after them."  
  
Harry didn't feel it wise to remind Ron that he had just ate the few chocolate frogs and cauldron cakes before patrol.  
  
"If you want to be a prefect, you should at least fulfill your basic duty and responsibility as one, Ron." Came Hermione's voice, albeit slightly muffled because her head was currently buried behind a huge book called ^Arithmancy—So You're Taking It Seriously^.  
  
Ron rolled his eyes at her, but Harry still caught him grinning, as hard as Ron tried to hide it though.  
  
"You know, Ron. You and Hermione—"  
  
"What about us?" they both asked in unison, with Hermione snapping her head up from her book.  
  
Harry grinned inwardly.  
  
"Could you guys just ^try^ to stop bickering at each other? They really tend to get annoying after a while." He said.  
  
"I'm sorry if it is bothering you, Harry. We'll try not to argue so much in the future." Said Hermione, while shooting a glance at Ron.  
  
"Yeah. Sorry, mate. As long as Miss Know-it-all here doesn't bug me too much." Ron said.  
  
"I don't—" Hermione started.  
  
"Ahem." Someone let out a soft cough wickedly like Umbridge's, making the pair jump.  
  
They looked at each other, and blushed, with Ron's reddening to the tip of his ears and Hermione's cheeks tinged with soft pink.  
  
Harry glanced at Ginny who gave him a playful wink back. Harry's grin broadened.  
  
*******************************************************  
  
Finally, after hours of traveling, the red engine of Hogwarts Express finally pulled into Hogmeade's Station. The sky had become inky blue with only a hint of red tint. Away from London and all the artificial illuminations of the city, the stars all shone brightly in the sky, twinkling cheerfully down at them, as if to say, "Welcome back."  
  
Hagrid's familiar voice rang throughout the train compartment, "firs' years, firs' year. This way, comin' through. Are all firs' years with me?" Spotting Harry and company, he waved and shouted, "alright Harry?"  
  
"Hey Hagrid. I'm fine." Harry yelled back.  
  
Hagrid winked, and disappeared into the dark with the first years, lantern swaying. Harry sighed. Apart from last year, some things never change, he thought.  
  
Ron, Hermione, and Ginny all urged him into one of the thestral drawn carriages. The thestrals, their black scaly coat gleaming in the dark, looked even more menacing yet beautiful than last year, thought Harry. He stroked the thestral of their carriage on the neck. It closed its eyes in content. After he had gotten over his initial fright over the reptilian like horses, he started to admire them for their grace and beauty. He wondered how many more people would be able to see these magnificent creatures this year.  
  
"Let's go, Harry. We're the last ones here." Ron said, poking his head out of the carriage.  
  
"I'm coming." Replied Harry.  
  
As the carriages clattered unceremoniously up the roads of Hogsmeade leading straight into the school gates, Harry watched as the castle loomed into spectacular view. The carriages lurched to a stop, and he Hermione, Ron, Ginny all clambered off.  
  
Side by side, shoulder-to-shoulder, the four Gryffindors walked towards the great castle doors of Hogwart's School Of Witchcraft and Wizardry.  
  
He was home.  
  
He was home at last.  
  
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ 


	15. Missing Malfoy

A/N: I have lent my copy of /Order of the Phoenix/ to a friend and haven't gotten it back yet. It is at least half a year since I last read OOTP, so my memory might be a bit sluggish. If I have spelt something wrong or mixed up the facts, please report it in your reviews so I can alter the mistakes.  
  
And many thanks to Greenleef99, Charmed-103, Lady Lily and James Potter, InfinitThought, Kyntor, and PrincessSkywalkerOrgana! I must say it was upon reading your reviews some previous days ago that encouraged me to start continuing this piece of fanfiction.  
  
In order to express my gratitude and shame for 'disappearing' three months to my dear readers, I present you 10 full pages of my latest update!  
  
Chapter 15  
  
Missing Malfoy  
  
Harry woke up refreshed and energetic the next morning. He lay on the bed, arms crossed behind his head, recalling yesterday's feast.  
  
...................................................................Flashback.................................................................................................................  
  
"Oh for Merlin's sake just put them all in Hufflepuff and let's get on with the feast!" Ron mumbled miserably, "I hate the Sorting. It always drags on and on and on."  
  
"Be patient, Ron. It's almost over now. Just two more students." Hermione comforted him.  
  
"Mmm..." Ron replied illegibly.  
  
"And it's Ravenclaw!" the Sorting Hat called out for Jack Murlstone, the last student for sorting. The Ravenclaw table applauded politely, greeting the new first year to their group.  
  
"Ah yes, I know many of you are ready eat a hippogriff or two. However, I wish to speak a few words before you dig in our feast." The Headmaster announced, "This year, we will have a new staff member with us, although she is presently unable to attend this feast, still let us welcome Professor Tustrith! As you might have guessed now, Professor Tustrith is our new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher. Hopefully, you will all have interesting classes under her supervisions and teachings."  
  
"Yes, yes, Professor Tustrith's the new DADA teacher, we get the point. Let's start eating! I'm not going to survive to meet the new professor." Ron groaned, but not soft enough to escape Dumbledore's ears.  
  
Chuckling, the Headmaster said, "Yes, yes, I find myself agreeing with Mr. Weasley here. I shall announce the usual routine restrictions and so on after the feast."  
  
"YES!" Ron almost yelled in triumph as their golden plates piled up high with chicken, ham, bread rolls, mash potatoes, and many other mouth- watering foods.  
  
"Tuck in."  
  
....................................................................................End of Flashback..........................................................................................  
  
Harry remembered at the end Dumbledore had again warned them of how they were still in dark times and keeping united was of utmost importance. Also, he announced Harry's Defense Association as a legal club and encouraged other students to take parts in it in hope of learning more Defense in case of time needs.  
  
His happiness to be back 'home' had dropped a notch at the mention of it, again recalling his little group of DA members' duel in the Ministry of Magic. Gritting his teeth, he had expelled this image from his head and tried to focus on his food.  
  
Yawning and stretching widely, he got out of bed to wake up Ron who was still pleasantly snoring away. Dean, Neville and Seamus must have all already awakened, for they were nowhere to be seen in the boy's room.  
  
"Wake up sleepyhead. We're gonna miss breakfast." Harry said, shaking the sleeping figure by the shoulders.  
  
"urrmphh..uhnn" Ron muttered, screwing his eyebrows, before turning over on his side, facing away from Harry.  
  
"Hey!" Harry exclaimed. The figure in bed hardly responded.  
  
Well Weasley, you brought this up yourself, Harry thought, smirking evilly. "Sonorus" he muttered quietly whilst pointing his wand to his throat. Harry crept silently down by the red head's ears, trying to make as less noise as possibly when his knees hit the floor. Taking a deep breath, he yelled loudly into his friend's ears, "RONALD WEASLEY YOU WAKE UP THIS INSTANT!"  
  
/Wham/. Ron jumped so high that his bed whole bed vibrated violently. Harry moved away from the bed, just in time before Ron rolled out of bed and slumped ungracefully onto the floor. Shaking his head and massaging his ears, Ron glared at his friend, "What do you think you're doing, Potter?"  
  
"It was only a friendly morning call, Weasley." Harry said, grinning ear to ear.  
  
"Friendly my arse." Ron mumbled grumpily under his breath, while pulling on his school robes. "You're going to pay for this Harry Potter."  
  
Chuckling, Harry walked out of the room, "I'll meet you in the common room. Be quick, or that morning call would be spent in vain. Don't want to miss breakfast, don't you?" He said, calling back through the door.  
  
In the common room, Hermione was already sitting in one of the couches waiting for them. "Morning." She greeted Harry brightly. "Was that a commotion upstairs?" She asked.  
  
"Naw, it was only a friendly morning call." Harry answered. "A rather...difficult one at that." He added. Hermione grinned knowingly.  
  
A few minutes later, a slightly ruffled looking Ron entered the common room. "Morning, Hermione. Breakfast. Let's go already." He said. Together, the trio headed downstairs for breakfast.  
  
As they sat down to the Gryffindor table, Harry noticed the sixth and seventh year Slytherins were all huddled together, discussing something in a hushed manner. Every now and then, one of them would twist their head around, as if checking for eavesdroppers. Harry suddenly noticed that the infamous Draco Malfoy wasn't among them. After more inspection, he realized Malfoy was actually nowhere to be found. Weird. This is really weird, he thought.  
  
Harry poked Ron with his elbow, "do you see anything queer with the Slytherins this year?" Ron, mouth still stuffed full of scrambled eggs and bacon, looked up. Harry could see Ron staring at their table, his eyes narrowing in suspicion. "Malfoy's not here." He stated, though a bit illegibly because of the food in his mouth.  
  
"What do you think happened to him?" Harry inquired.  
  
Ron shrugged. "Beats me. Maybe he got transferred to Durmstrang?"  
  
On Ron's other side, Hermione spoke up, "but it seems that /only/ Malfoy is missing. The others are still here. Even Crabbe and Goyle. I mean, those two would at least follow him if he were transferred to another school."  
  
"What school would want /those/ two thick-headed apes?" Ron said.  
  
"Malfoy was already missing on the train. I noticed his absent of usual assaults on our way here, but didn't think of it much. I was taking my time enjoying the rather peaceful ride. Do you think something sinister has happened to him? However unlikely it would seem." Said Harry.  
  
"Hmm......" was Hermione's reply as she laid her head in her hands, brows furrowed, and deep in thought.  
  
"Mr. Potter, Mr. Weasley and Miss Granger, here are your schedules." Professor McGonagall interrupt their thoughts, said, handing out their schedule of the year. Hermione accepted them with eager anticipation, while Ron was handling it as if it were a bomb that would explode any minute.  
  
"Double Transfiguration and History of Magic in the morning, and double Charms and Care of Magical Creatures in the afternoon. What a day! And DADA's not until Wednesday!" Ron groaned into his piece of parchment.  
  
"I certainly hope Professor Tutrith wouldn't turn out to be another Lockhart, or worse, Umbridge." Hermione said. The boys nodded vigorously in reply. "Oh Merlin I hope not. But it's not that bad now, since we still have DA to really improve our skills." Ron said, while poking Harry in the ribs.  
  
Harry looked down into his own piece of schedule. "Almost the same, only that I've got my private Animagus lesson in place for Care of Magical Creatures. I dropped it, since it's no use in assisting me into the Auror's Program. I hope Hagrid wouldn't be too sad." He said.  
  
"I'm sure Hagrid will understand, Harry." Hermione said reassuringly.  
  
"Yeah, I think he will." He replied with a sigh.  
  
"Aww, cheer up, mate. We can still visit him during the weekends. As long as he doesn't pull us into the forest to meet /Grawpy/ I'll go. And consider yourself lucky. I simply shudder, thinking what hideous monster awaits us in class." Ron said while screwing up his face, pretending to look disgusted.  
  
"Ron's right, Harry. I do think we should visit him more frequently this year, as we had been neglecting to do so last year, with everything on your back and all." Hermione added with concern.  
  
Harry nodded in reply. "Let's head for Transfiguration. I wouldn't dream of how many points McGonagall will deduct us for being late on our first class of the year." That said, the trio treaded off towards the Transfiguration classroom.  
  
On their way, the three Gryffindors met up with Dean and Seamus. They seemed very enthusiastic about something as they practically bounced over to greet the trio. "Oy Harry, guess what? Malfoy has gone missing! Fancy that!" Seamus said.  
  
"Yeah, I noticed his absence from the Slytherin table. Maybe he was plucked out of school by his father." Harry said with slight uncertainty, still not understanding what was so special about the situation. Like he cared about the brat's welfare, Harry thought.  
  
"No, he's not just missing from school. He was—" Dean broke off. Motioning his hands, signaling the trio to huddle closer, the grinning boy said in almost a whisper, "he was reported missing from home! We overheard the Slytherins discussing this over breakfast. Extenable Ears." Smirking, Dean pulled two identical skin-colored strings from his robes. " You want to thank your brothers for this. Big loads of help, these are." He said, patting them fondly.  
  
"Imagine," Seamus cut in, "the pompous Malfoy heir reported missing, by none other than Narcissa Malfoy! I'd say, Malfoy senior's just probably coming up with an excuse to keep his son out of school to let him enter You- Know-Who's rank. I mean, anyways, with your father being convicted and all that, who would have the face to come to school?"  
  
"Yeah. Probably teaching him really sinister Dark Arts, things that you wouldn't want to learn under Dumbledore's nose." Dean said, "He'll probably even be getting the Dark Mark soon. You never know, don't—"  
  
Just then the bell rang, signaling the start of the first period. Professor McGonagall entered promptly in her usual stern and no-nonsense self. The class began with the Professor's lecture on their OWL results, analyzing and concluding the class average. Then she launched into a detailed speech on everyone that is sitting in this class have entered the NEWT levels, proving they are able in this branch of magic, since the class have been reduced to half of last years, and warned them that they will be confronting harder and more complex transformations this year, such as human transformations, part human transformations, object-to-complex organisms transformations, and object ensouling, etc.  
  
"There shall be no messing around in my class. Anyone who fails to do so will be expelled immediately. As this class progresses into the year, many of you may encounter problems on your spell work or homework assignments. When this happens, please don't hesitate to ask me after class, as I will be happy of assistance. If you don't ask and let the problems build up, you will find yourself in a very messing start in next year's classes, in which you will be using every basic technique, hard or easy, you have learned over the years. If you do not secure a sturdy foundation, I'm afraid you will taste a rather 'bitter end' in your final NEWT test. "  
  
During Professor McGonagall's lecture, Harry tried hard to pay attention to her words, as he wanted a new fresh start of the year. However, he found himself slipping in and out of her words.  
  
Malfoy's missing from home. His mother reported it. That made sense since Malfoy Senior was a wanted criminal in the Magical World. But—  
  
"Today we will start on a brief introduction on object-to-organism transformation. The concept we will be focusing on this kind of transformation is to add a temporary made-up magical signature to the object. As you all should remember, we have already done simple organism-to- object transformations in our past studies, such as turning beetles into buttons. Now, we will—"  
  
Was it that simple? The whole situation seemed quite fishy to Harry. What if it really was more complex? What if Draco Malfoy disappeared on his own account? What if he ran away from home? Now that's saying something! Why would the spoiled brat run away from home? Potter you are truly losing your mind. What do you care about Malfoy? It's not that he has ever been decent to you, why are you suddenly worrying of his welfare?  
  
"Mr. Potter?"  
  
Harry jerked from his 'ludicrous' thoughts upon hearing the stern Transfiguration Professor calling his name, as if someone poured cold water down his head and he was suddenly back in reality. "Yes, Professor?"  
  
"Mr. Potter please pay attention in class. It is important that you stay focused in class, as you will find yourself left behind. Please keep your 'ponderings' until after class." McGonagall said.  
  
"Yes Professor." Harry replied, feeling slightly ashamed.  
  
"Now as I was saying—" The professor after giving Harry a stern nod, continued on her lecture.  
  
........................................................................................................................................................................................................................ .........................................................................................................................................................................................................................  
  
Harry was certainly glad that his morning classes were over. History of Magic droned on as usual. It still astonished Harry that after five years, the ghost professor still couldn't call his name right. Surprisingly, despite the boring lecture Professor Binns gave on the /Legal Systems of the Ancient Egyptian Wizarding Council/, Harry managed to take down most of the important points of the topic without putting another thought into Malfoy's mysterious disappearance. He had vowed that he would put studying on the top of his priority list before the year started, and he wasn't about to break that vow any soon, even if it meant paying attention to useless history facts.  
  
"Can you imagine that? Two essays on the first day of school! And we've still got potions left! I'd bet my lunch Snape wouldn't let us off without homework!" Ron groaned while sinking onto the dining bench for lunch.  
  
"Just like Professor McGonagall said, our NEWTs are coming and we need to start preparing for them." Hermione stated manner-of-factly.  
  
"NEWTs! NEWTS! That's not for another YEAR, Hermione. We've just started sixth year and now we're already worrying over are NEWTs!" Ron cried out.  
  
"Well I don't care about you, Ronald Weasley, but at least /I/ have high expectations of myself." Hermione said coldly.  
  
"I at least understand to enjoy the finer things in life." Ron retaliated.  
  
Hermione didn't reply, but Harry could tell she was positively fuming as she was rapidly stuffing her shepherd pie vigorously into her mouth. Harry sighed into his food, feeling his appetite waning. He hated when his friends started to bicker for the most minor reasons. Hadn't they promised him they'll /try/ to stop snapping at each other, even if it was for his sake? They weren't even trying, Harry thought angrily. It's the first day of school and they're already at each other's neck! Merlin, when could they just stop, and open their eyes!  
  
Just then, Ginny casually sat down across Harry. "Hey, how was your day? Snape is simply going to breath fire over us this year! OWLs, OWLs, homework and more OWLs! I am /not/ going to live through fifth year." She said, setting her bags down on the bench beside her. Upon hearing no reply to her exclamations, she inspected the somber trio, eyes narrowing. Apparently she realized just what had happened, and gave Harry a significant glance. Without another word spoken, she settled down to lunch contently, though without sending an occasional glance Harry's way. The four Gryffindor's lunch continued in silence.  
  
Harry sighed. This was going to be a long day. 


	16. The New Professor

**A/N:** Thanks to EVERYONE that reviewed! I'm sorry if my updates are coming out a bit slow! English words are not exactly flowing in my head, and living in Shanghai does nothing to help!

**PhoenixFlameFantasy**: shaking your fist at me is really working...lol.

**Chapter 16**

**The New Professor**

"Our sixth DADA professor. Do you think she'll be any good?" Harry asked while the trio headed for Defense class on Wednesday morning.

"Let's see our first one smelled of garlic and had er—Voldemort sticking out of the back of his head; second one was a liar who can't even block an _expelliarmus_ properly; third...a werewolf but the bloody best teacher I've ever seen." "Ron!" Hermione admonished, but the red-haired boy continued, pretending not to have heard, "fourth turned out to be a Death Eater in disguise, who turned Malfoy into a ferret, heh I'll never forget that; and fifth was a simpering Fudge's spy that cut student's hands as punishment! What is this year going to bring us, eh? A seductive vampire that sucks student's blood in the middle of the night?" He finished in almost one single breath.

"You never know." Harry said darkly, recalling to last year's Defense class. Just picturing the toady woman and her simpering voice and annoying coughing sounds was enough to send him running into the Men's room. "The only person more disgusting than her is Voldemort."

Several female students passing by gasped, but after five years of 'practice' he turned a deaf ear towards them.

"From what I heard from some of the Ravenclaws during Arithmancy, they said this Professor Tustrith finally showed them what a real Defense Against the Dark Arts class is supposed to be like, though sometimes she tends to uh...frighten the first and second years." Hermione added the last sentence uncertainly.

Harry and Ron looked at each other, eyebrows raised.

"She probably looks like a hag." Ron stated.

"Or maybe a mix between a troll and Snape." Harry added, smirking.

Hermione rolled her eyes.

"I guess we'll find out in five minutes." she said nonchalantly, checking her watch but upon further notice you would see her mouth slightly twitching upwards and her eyes gleaming with excitement.

"Hermione not interested in the new Defense professor? Never!" Ron joked.

"What will come will come, Ron. No use getting so excited about it." She replied smoothly, although the excitement showed clearly in her soft brown eyes.

"Admit it, Hermione. You are definitely as excited as we are, no use acting so cool about it." Harry replied with a large grin.

Hermione opened her mouth to retaliate but the ringing of the school bells stopped her and the trio entered the defense classroom to uncover the mystery that had lingered for so long.

To the trio's surprise, (and to Ron's horror, disgust and skepticism showing obviously on his face), what greeted them was a classroom almost completely decorated in black, save some strange silver pattern of ancient rune's symbol engraved onto the now black curtains, desks and chairs. The only features of the Defense classroom unchanged were the stone walls.

"If this teacher is anything like Snape I don't think I'll survive another year." Ron groaned.

"I think I'll survive as long she isn't like the simpering toad Umbridge, which I'm quite sure she isn't. You've never seen her office, have you? Every surface was pink and lacey..." Harry shuddered at the memory, though he wasn't sure whether it was more out of the unbearable decoration or out of his inhumane detention served there. He gave a downward glance at his hand. The cut had completely healed by now, but upon closer inspections he could still vaguely see the "I must not tell lies" spelled out in white.

" Compared to that, this room is fairly..."

Before he had the chance to finish, Harry saw a red flash from the corner of his eyes sailing through the air straight as an arrow...towards Ron. Harry barely had time to register this fact before jumping at his friend an pulling him down onto the ground, just in time as the red brush past his head, frying a few strands of his hair, and collided into the wall with a loud bang. The Hogwart's wall stood, without even a scratch to show a spell had just hit it.

Harry leaped to his feet, wand in hand, and eyes scouting the dark room in search for the attacker. By this time, most students had already filed into the room. Some were staring at him, eyes wide and scared, while others, like Harry, were also searching for the attacker among the crowd. There was no need, for then a deep feminine voice spoke out from the direction of the corner by the board.

"Congratulations Mr. Potter. Not only did you spot the spell in time, but saved your friend as well. I am impressed. Not many would have acted with such agility upon a surprise attack. Ten points to Gryffindor."

The owner of the voice, at first only a silhouette in the dark, stepped out into the torchlight. It was nothing Harry had expected.

The new Defense professor had long dark brown hair all the way down to her hips, white (but not a sickly pale white) skin and had a slim but medium tall frame. Harry noticed her eyes, obsidian, were black as night; her nose, tall and elegantly shaped, like a noble; and her eyebrows were slim and delicate, like the last crescent of a dying moon. And she was dressed head to toe in black, but lining the hem and collar were the same silver patterns as on their desks.

Harry had a nagging feeling that this new professor in front of him reminded him of someone...someone he knew...but he just couldn't place who...

But before he could ponder more...

"Take a seat and settle down, students." The deep voice said with authority. Everyone scurried to find a desk. The Professor waited patiently, arms crossed, until the noise in the room descended to zero as everyone had settled down, all eyes on her, waiting for her to speak.

"Now as all of you should know, I am Professor Tustrith, your new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher. This is a NEWT level class, so I advice each and every one of you to pay extreme attention to my instructions. I forewarn you that this year's curriculum will be difficult and in addition to your lack of practice last year..." at this her eyes flashed dangerously, "we have some very serious catching up to do."

Neville, three seats away from Harry, gulped. Whether it was because of the "catching up" part or the glare, Harry did not know. It could have been both.

"There will be pop quizzes every now and then, some in the form of duels against other students or against me, while others as surprise attacks, like the one placed on Mr. Potter and Mr. Weasley. Now that you have an inkling on what to expect, I hope all of you would at least be up to Potter's performance today—fast response and avoid getting cursed. However, I warn you that not all of my attacks will be direct curses like the Stunner demonstrated today. Be on your guard...always! You never know what to expect, my students." Professor Tustrith said sternly. "And Mr. Potter...do not think you will not be targeted again just because you've had your turn today. And I hope a better performance next time."

Harry nodded determinedly. _if that were a Deatheater attack, ducking to the floor was not the best way to protect myself."_ he thought to himself.

"This year, we will be covering advanced Protego Spells, a few Curse Detection Spells, the Patronus...yes Ms. Brown, it is above NEWTs level but very important due to ...current events...And various dueling techniques." Professor Tustrith said. "Any questions?"

Seamus put up his hand.

"Mr....."

"Finnigan, professor."

"Yes, Mr. Finnigan?"

"We already know how to perform a Patronus."

She raised one of her crescent-shaped eyebrows, "Indeed..."

"Most of us in here know how to perform the spell, Professor." said Seamus, "because of the DA."

"Why yes, I have been informed about the DA by the headmaster, and I do have to admit that it was a truly good defense group, although illegal..."

"...But, what you will all encounter in this class is definitely more advanced and truly more dangerous than what you all have ever done in the DA...so I hope everyone here is up to scratch...and I truly hope none of you give me any reason to throw you out of this class." Her black eyes swept around the class.

Beside Harry, Neville gave another loud gulp.

"I shall inspect those who are able to produce a corporeal Patronus next class." The bell rang, "class dismissed, Potter and Granger, would you please stay behind."

Everyone stood up to leave, all discussing excitedly about the new Defense Professor. Harry overheard two Hufflepuff boys talking loudly,

"She's scary, that one, the new professor."

"Yeah, definitely. Just the way she decorated the classroom sends creeps down my spine."

"No kidding. I had goosebumps on my arms the whole period. But you can't deny she's quite pretty...in a dark sort of way."

And they trailed on, disappearing into the hallway full of students. Harry wondered whether he had done something wrong, but remembered Hermione had to leave behind, too. Ron walked past him, mouthing, "I'll wait for you guys outside."

Harry and Hermione walked up to the teacher's desk.

"Ah yes Mr. Potter and Ms. Granger. Thank you for staying, this won't take long." Professor Tustrith said softly, losing the stern tone she used in class. "I was wondering whether you will be continuing the DA this year. I thought it was an excellent idea, and would like to be the teacher's volunteer should you wish to continue. As I'm sure Ms. Granger here knows, every club or association requires a teacher's volunteer in order for it to become legal."

Hermione looked at Harry, her eyes clearly saying, "well, the choice is yours."

But Harry was in doubt, "_do I even want to continue the DA? I did it just because last year's Defense class was crap, but this year's different...then if I do continue, of course I 'd like DA to be legal...but it would be totally weird having a teacher around while we hold meetings..."_

"I see you are in doubt, Mr. Potter." Professor Tustrith said.

Harry nodded.

And as if reading Harry's mind, the Professor said, "By the way, the volunteer teacher does not need to attend every meeting, so I can assure you your club members will not be disturbed by my presence." And very subtly, she winked.

Harry could only stare, not knowing how to react to the professor's sudden "change of personality" and "extend of friendship". He was lost for words.

Hermione elbowed him hard in the ribs.

"Ow...I mean...oh...uh...thank you, Professor. Is it okay if I think about it tonight, and give you an answer tomorrow?" Harry asked, still not having decided yet. Actually he felt his whole head was spinning from the day's events.

"Of course, Mr. Potter. Take your time. Now off you go. I'm sure lunch has already been served." Said the Professor, kindly.

"Good bye, Professor." Harry and Hermione said in unison and stood up to leave.

"That was very weird..." Hermione trailed off, while they were walking towards the Great Hall.

Harry shouldered his bag, still thinking about the new professor, replied, "Yeah. It was, wasn't it?"

"That Professor Tustrith gave me a weird sense of _déjà vu_...she looked like someone I know...but I just can't place who..." Hermione said, brow furrowing, the way she does whenever she was pondering deeply on a question.

Harry paled. "Same here." He replied.

Silently, he thought to himself, "_Definitely weird..._"


End file.
